Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Watershed Management Division Missisquoi Bay 2016 DRAFT TACTICAL BASIN PLAN
Missisquoi River, Orleans County
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN – 10/31/16
Photo credit front page: Missisquoi River, Orleans County – Art Bell; flyover provided by Lakeview Aviation
The Missisquoi Bay Water Quality Management Plan (Basin 6) was prepared in accordance with 10 VSA § 1253(d), the Vermont Water Quality Standards1, the Federal Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 130.6, and the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy.
Approved:
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Alyssa B. Schuren, Commissioner Date Department of Environmental Conservation
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Deb Markowitz, Secretary Date Agency of Natural Resources
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity agency and offers all persons the benefits of participating in each of its programs and competing in all areas of employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual preference, or other non-merit factors.
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Table of Contents Executive Summary ...... vii – Planning Process and Watershed Description ...... 1 The Tactical Basin Planning Process ...... 1 Contributing Planning Processes ...... 4 The Missisquoi Bay Watershed ...... 4 Subwatersheds ...... 5 - Water Resource Assessments ...... 6 Assessment Methodology ...... 6 Stressors, Pollutants and Physical Alterations to Aquatic and Riparian Habitat ...... 7 Overview of Water Resources ...... 8 Rivers ...... 8 Lakes and ponds ...... 9 Wetlands ...... 10 Condition of Specific Water Resources ...... 10 Impaired Waters and Priority Surface Waters ...... 10 Additional Lake and Pond Assessment Results ...... 14 Stressors, Pollutant and Project Identification ...... 16 Water Quality Monitoring by Citizen Groups ...... 17 Stream Geomorphic Assessments ...... 20 Stormwater Master Plans and Mapping ...... 23 Road Erosion Inventories ...... 24 Wetland Restoration ...... 25 Flow Alteration ...... 26 Agricultural Assessments for Project Identification ...... 29 Modeling Tools to Identify Remediation and Protection Efforts ...... 32 Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Needs ...... 35 Priority Subbasins for Remediation ...... 37 Chapter 3 –Addressing Stressors and Pollutants through TMDLs and Regulatory Programs ...... 40 Lake Carmi Phosphorus TMDL ...... 41 The Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase II ...... 42 TMDL allocations for the Missisquoi Bay segment of Lake Champlain ...... 47
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Limiting Phosphorus Losses from Managed Forest ...... 50 Reducing Phosphorus Attributable to Unstable Stream Channels ...... 54 Controlling Phosphorus from Agriculture ...... 56 Controlling Phosphorus from Developed Lands ...... 64 Controlling Phosphorus from Wastewater Treatment Facilities and Other Industrial Discharges .... 75 Summary of Phase II Plan for the Missisquoi Basin ...... 78 Vermont Statewide TMDL for Bacteria-Impaired Waters ...... 80 Flood Resilience Efforts ...... 81 Chapter 4 - Management Goals for Surface Waters ...... 84 Classification, and Recent Proposed Revisions to the Vermont Water Quality Standards ...... 85 Class B(1) Proposals ...... 87 Existing Uses...... 87 Outstanding Resource Waters ...... 88 Class I Wetland Designation ...... 89 Warm and Cold Water Fish Habitat designations ...... 90 Chapter 5- The Implementation Table: Protection and Remediation Actions ...... 91 Implementation Table ...... 91 List of Acronyms ...... 101 References: ...... 102 Glossary ...... 105 Missisquoi Bay Basin Plan Appendices ...... 108 Appendix A – Partners ...... 109 Appendix B - Modeling Tools and Assessments for Identifying Remediation and Protection Efforts . 114 Appendix C - Assessed Missisquoi Bay Watershed Culverts mostly to completely incompatible with stream geomorphology ...... 118 Appendix D –Status of flood resilience and water quality protection at municipal level ...... 123 Appendix E – USDA NRCS/Vermont State Funding Summary - January, 2015 ...... 127 Appendix F - Regulatory and Non-Regulatory Programs Applicable to Protecting and Restoring Waters in the Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainages ...... 130 Appendix G – Existing Use Tables ...... 131
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List of Figures
Figure 1. The Missisquoi Bay Watershed ...... x Figure 2. HUC12 subbasins for Missisquoi Bay watershed...... 5 Figure 3. Blue Green Algae (BGA) monitor reports by lake section 2015. Explanation of categories: ‘little or no blue-green algae present’ (category 1), ‘little blue-green algae present but enjoyment of water not impaired (category 1d), ‘blue-green algae present – less than bloom levels – enjoyment of water slightly impaired’ (category 2), or ‘blue-green algae bloom in progress – enjoyment of water substantially impaired’ (category 3). Numbers in boxes are the number of sites in each segment. Lake Champlain Committee - https://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/lcc-at-work/algae-in-lake/#c4033 ...... 17 Figure 4. Subwatershed (hatched in red) where MRBA and FWC data have been analyzed in detail. Source: Gerhardt, 2015) ...... 18 Figure 5. Lake Champlain Basin Wetland Restoration Plan: Potential restoration sites in Basin 6 within Orleans County...... 26 Figure 6 AAFM North Farm Survey Results Source: AAFM ...... 31 Figure 7. Modeling to show where BMPs would be most appropriate based on site conditions such as soils. An example would include prescribing corn-hay rotation as the BMP for areas with clay soils, where modeling program has been able to identify fields where corn has been cultivated continuously over multiple years. The BMPs listed are examples from USEPA’s Lake Champlain TMDL analyses...... 34 Figure 8. The Missisquoi Bay watershed includes the Lake Champlain drainage areas: Missisquoi and direct drainages...... 42 Figure 10. Basin 6 municipalities with river corridor and floodplain protection bylaws. Communities with River Corridor Protections have adopted bylaws that specifically protect River Corridors. Communities with Interim Protections indicate that they acted before 2015 to protect Special Flood Hazard Areas and/or a limited Fluvial Erosion Hazard Area where River Corridor maps were not available yet...... 83
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List of Tables
Table 1. Subwatershed characteristics ...... 6 Table 2. Stressors relating to water resource degradation with links to in-depth information (Click on a stressor to learn more) ...... 7 Table 3 Vermont 2016 Priority Waters for the Missisquoi Bay Watershed and Stressed Waters List (2014) (see also Maps A, B and C) ...... 11 Table 4. Scores for the 22 basin 6 lakes, ten acres or larger ...... 15 Table 5. Status of Basin 6 assessments that lead to stressor/project identification...... 16 Table 6 Areas of focus for phosphorus reduction in this plan highlighted in red and orange based on analyses of phosphorus water sampling or critical source area modeling from 4 studies in Basin 6. Green represents streams that most likely meet the numeric Vermont Water Quality Standards for phosphorus concentrations, orange represents moderately high concentrations (above VWQS) and red high concentrations...... 20 Table 7 Stream Geomorphic Assessments and River Corridor Plans for Basin 6 ...... 22 Table 8. Hydroelectric generating dams in Basin 6 ...... 27 Table 9. Potential actions for dams: Blue=evaluation needed; orange - candidate for removal; yellow - review drawdown schedule ...... 29 Table 10. Additional proposed monitoring and assessment needs to inform remediation or protection strategies...... 35 Table 11. Strategies and actions for priority subbasins...... 38 Table A1. General land use categories in the HUC12 Tool...... 46 Table LA-1. The top 3 modeled catchments for forest TP load export (red catchments in Figure LA-1)...... 53 Table LA-2. Summary table of top TP forest export HUC12s...... 54 Table LA-3. Catchments with the highest estimated TP agricultural export (non- farmstead)...... 57 Table LA-4. TP reduction efficiencies associated with BMPs as represented in the SWAT-based Scenario Tool ...... 61 Table LA-5. BMPs associated with Required Agricultural Practice and best corresponding BMP presented in Scenario Tool...... 62 Table WLA-2. SWAT estimated farmstead loading for the Missisquoi Bay basin HUC12s (all estimates are kg/yr.) ...... 63 Table WLA-3. Total Load and the Regulatory Programs applicable in each jurisdiction64 Table WLA-4. Catchments with the highest estimated TP developed lands export. Catchments are associated with individual towns if the majority of the area of that catchment occurs within a given town boundary...... 65
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Table WLA-5. Catchments with the highest estimated TP export from paved roads. .... 68 Table WLA-6. Catchments with the highest estimated TP export from unpaved roads. 68 Table WLA-8. SWAT loading for all non-VTrans managed roads occurring in each municipality (non-MS4) ...... 72 Table WLA-9. Estimated mileage of hydrologically connected municipal road miles by town. These do not include state managed or private roads...... 73 Table WLA-10. Estimated three-acre parcels and associated impervious cover for Missisquoi Bay basin towns...... 75 Table WLA-11. Summary of permit requirements for the wastewater treatment facilities in the Missisquoi Bay lake segment watershed.la ...... 76 Table 14. A list of designated uses that can be individually classified into each of the water classes in the Vermont Water Quality Standards...... 87 Table 15. Objectives of Tactical Basin Plan to meet goals for the plan...... 92
List of Maps
MAP A - Rock and Pike River watersheds ...... 98 MAP B - Hungerford, Black and Tyler Watersheds...... 99 MAP C - Trout, Upper Missisquoi and Mud Creek watersheds ...... 100
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Executive Summary
The Vermont Clean Water Act requires the development of Tactical Basin Plans for each of Vermont’s 15 river basins to be adopted on a five-year recurring cycle. These plans integrate watershed modeling, water quality monitoring, sector-specific pollution source assessments, and stakeholder input to document geographically explicit actions necessary to protect, maintain, enhance, and restore surface waters. The Agency of Natural Resources is assisted in the implementation of plan through a combination of federal and State funding sources, partner support (Appendix A) and for certain protection efforts, the public rulemaking process.
The Missisquoi Bay (Basin 6) Tactical Basin Plan focuses on the Vermont portions of the Missisquoi, Rock and Pike River watersheds as well as the Lake Champlain shoreline within the Missisquoi Bay. DEC Basin 6 Water Quality Assessment Report provides background to support the Plan’s actions including assessments ofwetlands, lakes and rivers. The Plan’s goal for Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay and all of the surface waters in its drainage basin is the sustained ecological health and human use by meeting or exceeding Vermont Water Quality Standards.
The surface waters in Basin 6 provide recreational opportunities, drinking water and support for wildlife habitat and plant communities. The health of the surface water is directly connected to these uses. The DEC Basin 6 Water Quality Assessment Report as well as additional assessments and monitoring results described in Chapter 2 identify the pollutants or processes most responsible for degraded water quality and habitat. Pollutants include phosphorus, sediment, pathogens and toxins as well as aquatic invasive species. The Missisquoi Bay has excessively high phosphorus levels due to phosphorus loading from the watershed, leading to frequent algal blooms.
The main souces of the elevated phosphorus, sediment and pathogen levels include agricultural, urban and road runoff, and eroding river channels due to a lack of equilibrium in the river system. Many of the actions to address these stressors in the basin will also achieve required reductions in phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay. Chapter 3 includes specifics on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and cleanup plan to meet those reductions.
In Chapter 4, the plan also describes management goals for basin 6 surface waters and includes new classifications or candidates for reclassification (see Summary of Classification Opportunities below).
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The heart of this plan is the implementation table in Chapter 5, online implementation table database , which includes geographically explicit actions to protect or restore surface waters in the basin. The actions are supported by the following top objectives and strategies for priority watershed (and associated towns):
Top Objectives and Strategies
Protect river corridors to increase flood resilience and allow rivers to reach equilibrium through protection of river corridors with conservation easements and municpal adoption of appropriate ordinances, focusing on the Upper Missisquoi, Trout and Tyler Branch and implementation of DEC river corridor plans.
Increase knowledge of water quality conditions in the basin, including the identification of high quality lakes through the establishment and/or continuation of short-term intensive and long-term monitoring programs.
Implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) in areas that are a significant source of phosphorus and where BMPs are best suited to conditions with a focus on Rock, Pike, Hungerford Brook, Black Creek and Mud Creek.
Resolve E. coli impairments in Berry, Godin and Samsonville Brooks by addressing discernable bacteria sources from agriculture and residential sources to meet bacterial TMDL.
Manage stormwater from developed areas through the development and implementation of stormwater master plans (Enosburgh, Fairfield, Franklin, Highgate, Richford, Sheldon, Swanton).
Improve littoral zone habitat along Lake Champlain, Fairfield Pond and Lake Carmi through direct outreach with landowners to encourage participation in the Lake Wise Program, which promotes implementation of lakeshore BMPs.
Inventory and prioritize municipal road erosion features that discharge into surface water and implement high priority actions in existing road erosion inventoried sites
Provide technical and as available, financial assistance to wastewater treatment facilities in meeting TMDL goals to reduce phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain.
Prioritize wetland and floodplain restoration projects on agricultural lands for phosphorus retention and sediment attenuation with a focus on the Rock, Pike and Hungerford watersheds.
Prioritize remediation of forest roads and log landings with high erosion risks with focus on sugaring operations and Upper Missisquoi and Trout River watersheds
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Summary of Classification Opportunities
Waters proposed for reclassification to Class B(1) for fishing use:
• South Branch Trout River upstream of Highland Spring Road (river mile 5.5)
Wetland candidates for Class I:
• Missisquoi Delta, including Maquam Bog in the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
In addition to the actions supported by priority objectives and the classification opportunities, the basin plan also includes actions for addressing stressed and impaired waters listed in Table 3.
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has prepared an online mapping tool, the ANR Natural Resources Atlas, that allows the reader to identify the locations of many Basin features http://anrmaps.vermont.gov/websites/anra/
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Figure 1. The Missisquoi Bay Watershed
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– Planning Process and Watershed Description
The Tactical Basin Planning Process
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) tactical basin planning process identifies actions that will protect, maintain, and improve surface waters by managing the activities that cause the known stressor(s) and address the resulting pollutants. The DEC Basin 6 Water Quality Assessment Report provides background to support the Plan’s actions including description of wetlands, lakes and rivers water and their health.
Using integrated watershed modeling, water quality monitoring, sector-specific pollution source assessments, and stakeholder input, these actions are strategically targeted to sub-basins (see Table 15 and Map A, B and C) and specific waters where their implementation would achieve the greatest benefit to water quality and aquatic habitat while being the most cost effective.
For the purposes of assessing and reporting water quality information, the state is divided into 15 major drainage basins. Each basin including one or more major river watersheds1. The DEC is responsible for preparing Tactical Basin Plans, a water quality management plan, for each of the basins and updating them every five years. The resulting plans meets the goals and objectives of the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy (VSWMS) to protect, maintain and restore the biological, chemical, and physical integrity, and public use and enjoyment of Vermont’s water resources, and to protect public health and safety. The tactical planning process is outlined in Chapter 4 of the VSWMS.
The DEC collaborates with State, federal and municipal organizations, local conservation groups, businesses, and a variety of landowners and interested citizens to develop and implement the Tactical Basin Plan (see Appendix A). Partners have played multiple roles, include funder, technical resource (see resources in the VSWMS) or project manager as well as providing guidance during the planning process.
In 2015, the passage of Act 64, the Vermont Clean Water Act, strengthened multiple statutes related to water quality in Vermont. Act 64 was passed specifically to set in
1 A watershed is a distinct land area that drains into a particular waterbody through either channelized flow or surface runoff. Preparing a plan at a watershed level allows for the consideration of all contributing sources of runoff to the surface waters.
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place statewide requirements necessary to achieve the phosphorus reduction targets in USEPA’s Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL, and to establish the regulatory authorities necessary to implement the Lake Champlain Phase I Plan. This Tactical Basin Plan is the tool for establishing five-year goals and actions related to the implementation of Act 64 directives.
Act 64 addresses agricultural water quality on small, medium and large farms through the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. It establishes water quality requirements for stormwater discharges from new and existing development, industrial and municipal stormwater discharges, and runoff from municipal roads through the Department of Environmental Conservation. In addition, through the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the Act addresses water quality runoff from forest silviculture activities.
Act 64 also establishes the requirement that all water quality improvement actions undertaken by the State be integrated by means of Tactical Basin Plans (TBP), and establishes partnerships with Regional Planning Commissions, Natural Resource Conservation Districts, and other organizations to support this work. Lastly, Act 64 establishes a cleanup fund to dedicate resources towards the highest priority water quality remediation actions.
Regarding work with the Regional Planning Commissions, the Agency of Natural Resources (Agency) will work with the applicable regional planning commissions to develop an analysis and formal recommendation on conformance with the goals and objectives of applicable regional plans, see 10 V.S.A 1253(d)(2)(G). The overall role of the TBPs is not to determine where development should happen. This Tactical Basin Plan encourages communities to take protective measures that will restore, maintain and enhance water quality in all areas that in turn protect human health, ecological integrity, and water-based recreational uses. The TBP does not preclude any development that is consistent with municipal zoning, regional and municipal plans and with applicable State and federal regulations.
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In order to implement the high priority actions required to protect, enhance, maintain and restore water quality, the TBP spells out clear attainable goals and targeted strategies to achieve goals laid out in Act 64 and the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL. The online implementation table database is a tool by which progress can be tracked with regard to measurable indicators of each major goal. In addition, the database will be revisited periodically, and be modified accordingly to best address newly emerging information, unanticipated events, and new requirements such as are anticipated by legislative acts, including Acts 1102and 64.
The Tactical Basin Plan builds upon the Agency’s previous Missisquoi Bay Tactical Basin Plan, signed in 2013 (DEC 2013). That plan contains strategies that addressed river corridor protection, stormwater management, drinking water protection, aquatic invasive species management, and installation of agricultural Best Management Practices. Through efforts of the Agency and its watershed partners, many of these have been implemented or are in progress. This plan builds upon those original plan recommendations by providing additional geographically explicit actions in areas of the basin identified for intervention based on monitoring and assessment data, and high- resolution phosphorus modeling.
The Tactical Basin Plan actions are described in Chapter 5’s implementation table summary and online implementation table database and will be addressed over the five-year life of the Missisquoi Bay Tactical Basin Plan. The plan will not be a static document. It is expected that the Agency and its partners will have to develop adaptive management techniques as new natural and anthropogenic events present themselves.
Successes and challenges in implementing actions will be reviewed in biannual meetings with watershed partners. In addition, the implementation table will be modified accordingly to best address newly emerging information, unanticipated events, and new requirements such as are anticipated by the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL (see Chapter 3 for additional information on the TMDL).
2 Act 110 directed the Secretary of Natural Resources to establish a river corridor management program and a shoreland management program, effective February 1, 2011, to provide municipalities with maps of designated river corridors and develop recommended best management practices for the management of river corridors, shorelands, and buffers.
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Contributing Planning Processes
Complementary planning processes in the watershed also direct resources towards surface water protection and remediation strategies. The strategies, associated resources and partnerships identified in these plans contributed to the development and implementation of actions in Chapter 5. These planning processes can be further explored through the links provided below:
• Lake Champlain Basin Program’s 2010 - Opportunities for Action • Rock and Pike River NRCS Priority Watershed Planning Process 2016 • Wild and Scenic Study Management Plan for the Upper Missisquoi and the Trout Rivers 2013 • The International Joint Commission’s 2011 Missisquoi Bay Critical Source Area Study
The Missisquoi Bay Watershed
The Missisquoi Bay is located at the northern end of Lake Champlain. The 19,150 acre bay is shallow, only reaching a depth of 14 feet. In all, more than 767,246 acres of land comprise the watershed of Missisquoi Bay with approximately 58% of the watershed located in Vermont and 42% in the Canadian Province of Quebec (Figure 1, Maps A, B and C). In Vermont, the watershed extends over most of Franklin County, as well as parts of Orleans and Lamoille Counties.
The land use in the Missisquoi Bay watershed is 66% forested, 25% agricultural, and 6% urban (Troy et al., 2007). Table 1 further breaks down landuse by subwatershed. The health of a waterbody is dictated for the most part by the landuse or landcover in its watershed. A forested watershed provides the best protection as it absorbs or detains the precipitation that in a developed or agricultural landscape will pick up pollutants as stormwater runoff and carry it to waterbodies. See Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy (VSWMS) for a more in depth explanation of pollution sources.
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Figure 2. HUC12 subbasins for Missisquoi Bay watershed.
Subwatersheds
The Missisquoi River is the largest tributary of the Missisquoi Bay, followed by the Rock and Pike Rivers. For tactical basin planning purposes, the Missisquoi River subwatershed is further divided into five subwatersheds: Hungerford Brook, Black Creek, Tyler Branch, Trout River, and Mud Creek (Table 1). A detailed description of the bay’s subwatersheds are contained in the DEC Basin 6 Water Quality Assessment Report. Figure 2. identifies these subwatersheds as part of HUC12s, a hydrologic unit used for modeling landscape processes that affect water quality. The use of modeling results in the planning process is discussed in Chapter 3.
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Table 1. Subwatershed characteristics
Subwatershed Land Use Land % of Subwatershed3 Prominent Cover Type Stressors4 Rock River Urban 5% Land Erosion, Agricultural 41% Channel erosion, Forested 40% Nutrient loading Pike River Urban 5% Land erosion, Agricultural 34% Channel erosion, Forested 51% Encroachment Aquatic invasives Missisquoi River Urban 5% Land erosion, Agricultural 24% Channel erosion, Forested 61% Nutrient loading, Mud Creek Urban 4% Land erosion, Agricultural 27% Nutrient runoff Forested 61% Trout River Urban 3% Channel erosion, Agricultural 7% Encroachment Forested 84% Tyler Branch Urban 4% Land erosion, Agricultural 14% Channel erosion Forested 74% Black Creek Urban 4% Land erosion, Agricultural 21% Channel erosion, Forested 63% Nutrient loading, Encroachment
Hungerford Brook Urban 6% Land erosion, Agricultural 44% Channel erosion, Forested 34% Nutrient loading,
- Water Resource Assessments
Assessment Methodology
The Agency’s Watershed Management Division (WSMD) in the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) assesses the health of a waterbody using biological, chemical and physical criteria. Most of this data can be accessed through the Vermont Integrated Watershed Information System, online data portal.
The results of assessments are the basis for the biennial statewide 303(d) List of Impaired Waters and List of Priority Surface Waters Outside the Scope of 303(d) (Table
3 The total landcover includes wetlands and other waterbodes that are not included in this table 4 See Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy and chapter 2 for more about stressors
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3). These priority waters lists also includes preliminary information on responsible pollutant and/or physical alterations to aquatic and riparian habitat, the stressor and if known, the source. DEC Basin 6 Water Quality Assessment Report provides additional information about these waters. The waterbodies included on these lists are included as a focus for remediation efforts in this plan
The Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy (DEC 2012) (VSWMS) lays out the goals and objectives of DEC’s Watershed Management Division for addressing pollutants and stressors that can negatively affect the designated uses of Vermont surface waters. The strategy discusses 10 major stressors (Table 2), and as of this writing is being updated to reflect new provisions of Act 64 and the Lake Champlain TMDL.
Table 2. Stressors relating to water resource degradation with links to in-depth information (Click on a stressor to learn more)
Stressors, Pollutants and Physical Alterations to Aquatic and Riparian Habitat
A stressor is defined as a phenomenon with quantifiable damaging effects on surface waters resulting from the delivery of pollutants to a waterbody, or an increased threat to public health and safety. For the most part, stressors result from human activity on the landscape; however, when landscape activities are appropriately managed, stressors are reduced or eliminated.
Table 2 provides links to the stressor chapters of the VSWMS that describe in detail the stressor, its causes and sources, and DEC’s approach to addressing the stressor through monitoring, technical assistance, regulations and funding.
In this plan, the stressors responsible for the impaired, altered and stressed waterbodies in the basin are listed next to the waterbody in Table 3 and both are located on Maps A, B and C. In addition to the stressor, Table 3’s priority waters lists also identify the
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pollutant or physical alteration responsible for degraded water quality or physical condition of each priority water.
Pollutants enter surface waters either as a point source, a discrete source from a pipe, or as non-point source, carried in precipitation that runs off the landscape (i.e., stormwater runoff). Physical alterations result from the inadvertent introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS), or with a change in surface water levels because of dams or water withdrawal. The landuse and other activities that are responsible for non-point source pollutants as well as DEC’s remediation strategies, are described in detail in the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy (VSWMS).
Climate Change: increasing pollutant loads and impacts to waterbodies
Climate change predictions for Vermont are expected to intensify stressors, leading to increased pollutant loads from the landscape as well as loss of native species. Predictions include increased intensity of storms and resulting increases in stormwater flows. In response, management of landscape activities will need to intensify to effectively address stressors that are intensified with additional flows. These stressors include channel and land erosion, nutrient loading and thermal stress.
Increased temperatures are also predicted, which will increase thermal stress to waterbodies. In addition, warmer temperatures will also allow invasive species to gain a competitive edge, requiring changes in management strategies to better protect native species. The Lake Champlain TMDL was developed with consideration of the effects of climate change, and the Lake Champlain Phase I Implementation Plan has a dedicated chapter as well.
Overview of Water Resources
The following is an overview of water resource health in Basin 6. Information on the condition of specific water bodies is included in Table 3.
Rivers
Sediment and nutrients are the most prevalent pollutants in Basin 65 in streams and rivers. Prominent stressors responsible include land erosion, channel erosion, and
5 Definition of these pollutants can be found in VSWMS http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/wqd_mgtplan/swms_appB.htm.
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 8 | Page nutrient loading. Physical alterations are also present throughout the watershed, ranging from habitat alteration, general stream channel instability and encroachment into the flood hazard zone. The next most prevalent stressors are thermal modification and pathogens. More isolated stressors specific to particular reaches6 include toxics from hazardous waste sites and flow alteration.
Despite these impacts, the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers are both federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers based on unique cultural, scenic and recreational qualities. In addition, the Big Falls of the Missisquoi River at Troy is a natural candidate for Outstanding Resource Water (see Chapter 4) in consideration of spectacular aesthetic value and swimming use.
Lakes and ponds
The basin includes 22 lakes or ponds, 10 acres or larger. Encroachment, by way of shoreland development, is the greatest stressor to Vermont lakes, as recently reported in the National Lake Survey study (USEPA, 2012). In Basin 6, other threats to aquatic habitat and water quality in the lakes include sedimentation and increased eutrophication due to nutrient loading-related stressors. The nutrient loading has resulted in regular algal blooms in Missisquoi Bay and Lake Carmi, with intense cyanobacteria blooms (blue-green algae) becoming seasonal occurances.
Additional stressors include flow alterations (e.g, water level fluctuations). Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose a threat to the five of the lakes and acidity to one lake (see Table 4).
All of the Basin 6 lakes, along with all but one other lake in Vermont, are under a Vermont Department of Health Fish Consumption Advisory for exceeding the USEPA mercury limits in fish. Mercury is a chemical that becomes toxic at high concentrations. As big fish eat smaller fish, the mercury concentrations increase in the fish tissues, and through this process of bioaccumulation, mercury levels become unsafe for human consumption of the fish.
Healthy lakes with vibrant ecosystems exist in the basin as well: Little Pond in Franklin falls in the top 25% of Vermont lakes with excellent water quality, intact shoreline, high biodiversity, and scenic features. McAllister Pond and Lake Carmi (notwithstanding
6 The waters and associated problems are listed in the EPA and state lists (see Table 2)
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the lake’s high phosphorus levels) both are in the top 20 and 25% respectively for biodiversity.
Wetlands
The Missisquoi Bay watershed contains a great diversity of wetlands, ranging from open water habitats to rich forested swamps, with Missisquoi Delta, Franklin Bog, Fairfield Swamp as a few examples.
The wetlands in the basin are identified on the Vermont Wetlands Inventory Map (up to 39% of Vermont wetlands may not be mapped). More than 35% of the original wetlands in Vermont have been lost. In recent years, residential, commercial and industrial development have been the primary causes of wetland loss.
The USEPA’s National Wetland Condition Assessment 2011 survey included Vermont wetlands with assistance from the WSMD Wetlands Program. The assessment of Eastern Mountains wetlands, including Vermont’s, estimated that 52% of the estimated wetland area is in good condition; 11% is in fair condition, and 37% is in poor condition. Presently, the WSMD Wetlands Program is developing a biomonitoring program to measure wetland health to allow assessment of data specific to Vermont.
Condition of Specific Water Resources
Impaired Waters and Priority Surface Waters
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) uses monitoring and assessment data7 to assess individual surface waters in relation to Vermont Water Quality Standards as outlined in the 2016 DEC Assessment and Listing Methodology . The four categories used in Vermont’s surface water assessment are full support, stressed, altered and impaired. Waters that support designated and existing uses and meet water quality standards are placed into the full support or stressed categories. Waters that do not support uses and do not meet standards are placed into the altered or impaired category (See page 13 2016 DEC Assessment and Listing Methodology.
Table 3 lists the known stressed, impaired or altered waterbodies in Basin 6. These priority waters comprise the 303(d) and the state priority surface waters lists. Maps A, B and C also identify location of these waters. For a more detailed description of
7 ( see Appendix A of the Vermont DEC Water Quality Monitoring Strategy 2011-2020
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monitoring results use the Vermont Integrated Watershed Information System, online data portal. The goals of the Tactical Basin Plan include addressing the stressors or pollutants degrading the listed waters in Table 3 through geographically specific actions (see Chapter 5 Implementation Table). The types of actions prescribed are based on the stressor specific practices outlined in the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy. Additional monitoring and assessment needs are outlined in Tables 3, 5 and 10.
Table 3 Vermont 2016 Priority Waters for the Missisquoi Bay Watershed and Stressed Waters List (2014) (see also Maps A, B and C) IMPAIRED SURFACE WATERS IN NEED OF TMDL Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Proposed Action Rock River – Mouth to Nutrients, CE, LE, NL* Algal Growth, See Lake Champlain P TMDL VT/QUE Border Sediment Agricultural Runoff, Fish Kill Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development Rock River – Upstream 13 Nutrients, CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff, Nutrient See Lake Champlain P TMDL mi from VT/QUE Border Sediment Enrichment Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development Saxe Brook – Mouth to RM Nutrients CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff See Lake Champlain P TMDL 1 Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development Burgess Brook, RM 4.9 to Sediment LE, Toxics Asbestos Mine Tailings Resources could be obtained from 5.4 Erosion, Asbestos Fibers EPA as Superfund site when town is willing. Landowner presently maintaining EPA installed erosion control. Natural Resources Damage Assessment funds Burgess Brook trib. #11, Sediment LE, Toxics Asbestos Mine Tailings Resources could be obtained from mouth to RM .5 Erosion, Asbestos Fibers EPA as Superfund site when town is willing. Landowner presently maintaining EPA installed erosion control Berry Brook – Mouth to Sediment, CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff, Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in RM1 Nutrients Aquatic Habitat Impacts development and See Lake Champlain P TMDL Godin Brook Sediment, CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff, Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in Nutrients Aquatic Habitat Impacts development and See Lake Champlain P TMDL Samsonville Brook Sediment, CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff, Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in Nutrients Aquatic Habitat Impacts development See Lake Champlain P TMDL Trout Brook – Mouth to RM Nutrients CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff See Lake Champlain P TMDL, 2.3 Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development Wanzer Brook – Mouth to Nutrients, CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff See Lake Champlain P TMDL RM 4 Sediment Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development Coburn Brook – Mouth to Nutrients CE, LE, NL Agricultural Activity and See Lake Champlain P TMDL RM .2 Runoff Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development
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Mud Creek –VT/QUE Border Undefined CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff, Nutrient See Lake Champlain P TMDL, to RM 6.5 Enrichment Subwatershed-specific Agric. TMDL in development South Mountain Branch Sediment CE, LE, Macroinvert. Impacts; See Lake Champlain P TMDL, (Trib # 7) (2.2 Mi.) potential sediment from See additional approved BMP in 2015 roads, development amendments to Jay Peak Resort8 Water Quality Remediation Plan (WQRP)
Ace Brook, Rm0.7 To Sediment CE, LE Apparent sediment See Lake Champlain P TMDL, Headwaters (1.0 Mi.) discharges and hydro change from logging activity IMPAIRED SURFACE WATERS – NO TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD DETERMINATION REQUIRED Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Proposed Action Jay Branch – RM 7.3 to 9.1 Sediment CE, LE Erosion from Land Water Quality Remediation Plan Development Activities. (WQRP) Jay Peak Resort and §1272 order. Additional BMPs scheduled to be implemented Jay Branch – Tributary #9 Sediment CE, LE Erosion from Land WQRP and Development Activities §1272 order. Additional BMPs scheduled to be implemented. South Mountain Branch, Sediment CE, LE Erosion from parking areas Tributary #3 and on-mountain activities WQRP and §1272 order, Additional BMPs scheduled to be implemented STRESSED SURFACE WATERS (2014 list) Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Missisquoi River, Mouth to Sediment, CE, LE, NL, Ag, Streambank Erosion, See Lake Champlain Phosphorus Tyler Nutrients, Encroachment Loss Of Riparian TMDL (LC P TMDL) Branch Turbidity, Temp Vegetation Missisquoi River, from Tyler Sediment, CE, LE, NL, Ag, Streambank Erosion, See LC P TMDL Branch Up to Canada Nutrients, Encroachment, Border Turbidity, Temp Thermal stress Youngman Brook – Mouth to Undefined CE, LE, NL Agricultural Runoff See LC P TMDL 1.8 RM (Sediment, Nutrients) Hungerford Brook Nutrients, CE, LE, NL Ag activity suspected See LC P TMDL Sediment Kelly Brook, downstream Inorganics, Toxics Landfill Continue monitoring, conduct site from Youngs Landfill SVOCs in investigation work to further sediment characterize the impact identified over the years on this property
8 Jay Peak Resort 2015 WQRP performance report
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Black Creek – Mouth to East Sediment, E. CE, LE, NL, Agricultural Runoff See LC P TMDL; Continue DEC Fairfield (12 miles) Coli, Nutrients Pathogens biomonitoring and support of MRBA volunteer monitoring The Branch, Beaver Meadow Sediment, CE, LE, NL Streambank Erosion, See LC P TMDL; Continue DEC Brk, to E. Bakersfield rd physical Channelization biomonitoring and support of MRBA bridge alterations volunteer monitoring Tyler Branch Sediment, E. CE, LE, NL, Agricultural Runoff, See LC P TMDL; Continue DEC Coli, Nutrients Pathogens Morphological Instability (W. biomonitoring and support of MRBA Enosburgh to Cold Hollow volunteer monitoring Brook) East Branch Missisquoi R. Sedimentation, CE, LE, Eroding streambanks, Act 250 permit; Continue DEC Gravel Pit access to Cheney likely Temp Encroachment, pasture with no buffers, biomonitoring and support of MRBA Rd Thermal stress road to gravel pit volunteer monitoring, town road assessment Jay Branch – River Miles 7.3 Sediment, CE, LE Potential Impacts from Continue DEC biomonitoring to 5.6 Stormwater Construction, Erosion, Watershed Hydrology Mud Creek, Troy town line Nutrients, CE, LE, NL, Agriculture See LC P TMDL; Continue DEC to Canada border Turbidity biomonitoring and support of MRBA volunteer monitoring South Mountain Branch, Sediment, CE, LE Runoff: Jay Peak parking Continue DEC biomonitoring (Trib 3 to Jay Branch) turbidity, lots, other developed areas hydrological changes IMPAIRED WATERS WITH COMPLETED & EPA-APPROVED TMDLS Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Missisquoi River – Mouth Mercury Toxics Elevated Levels of Hg in Mercury TMDL: Support EPA’s efforts Upstream to Swanton Dam Walleye to control emissions from Vermont and other states Lake Carmi Phosphorus CE, LE, NL, Algae Blooms Phosphorus TMDL Encroachment Missisquoi Bay – Lake Phosphorus9, CE, LE, NL, P Enrichment, Elevated Phosphorus TMDL and Mercury TMDL Champlain Mercury Encroachment, Levels of Mercury in Walleye Toxics Berry Brook, Mouth to and E. coli Pathogens Elevated E. coli Levels Bacterial TMDL including N. Trib. Godin Brook E. coli Pathogens Elevated E. coli Levels Bacterial TMDL Samsonville Brook E. coli Pathogens Elevated E. coli Levels Bacterial TMDL Kings Hill Pond Acid Acidity Atmospheric Deposition; Acid TMDL: Support EPA Support (Bakersfield) extremely sensitive to EPA’s efforts to control emissions acidification; episodic from Midwest
9 EPA approved Lake Champlain phosphorus TMDL September 25, 2002 and later disapproved in 2011. EPA is developing a new TMDL which is expected 2013.
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WATERS ALTERED BY EXOTIC SPECIES Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Missisquoi Bay – Lake Exotic Species AIS Eurasian Watermilfoil Assist landowners with management Champlain Infestation, strategies Zebra Mussel Infestation Metcalfe Pond, Fletcher Exotic Species AIS Locally Abundant Eurasian Assist landowners with management Watermilfoil Growth strategies Fairfield Swamp Pond, Exotic Species AIS Locally Abundant Eurasian Assist landowners with management Swanton Watermilfoil Growth strategies Fairfield Pond, Fairfield Exotic Species AIS Locally Abundant Eurasian Ongoing local non-chemical control Watermilfoil Growth program. Continue to assist landowners with management strategies WATERS ALTERED BY FLOW REGULATION Description Pollutant Stressor Problem Lake Carmi Flow Flow Alteration Water Level Mgmt May See flow assessment section Alteration Alter Aquatic Habitat Missisquoi River – Below Flow Flow Alteration Artificial Flow Regulation & FERC License expires in 2023. See Enosburg Falls Dam Alteration Condition by Hydro Station flow assessment section Stanhope Brook Flow Flow Alteration Insufficient conservation Richford water supply – see flow Alteration flows below the intake assessment section. Jay Branch – 4.7 Miles Flow Flow Alteration Artificial and Insufficient Flow See flow assessment section Alteration Below Jay Peak Snowmaking Water Withdrawal. *CE: channel erosion; LE: Land Erosion; NL: Nutrient loading 1 CE: channel erosion; LE: Land Erosion; NL: Nutrient loading
Additional Lake and Pond Assessment Results
In addition to the 303(d) List of Impaired Waters and List of Priority Surface Waters above (Table 3), the WSMD’s Lakes Program includes assessment results in the Vermont Lake Score Card to identify the overall conditions of each lake in Vermont (Table 4). The results for aquatic invasive species (AIS) and the water quality condition are also reflected in Table 4.
The score card’s evaluations for the 22 lakes in Basin 6 (Table 4), covers four categories: Shoreland and Lake Habitat, Invasive Species, Atmospheric Pollution and Water Quality. The condition for each category is described using colors: blue signifying good, yellow fair, and red reduced conditions. No color represents assessment needs.
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Table 4. Scores for the 22 basin 6 lakes, ten acres or larger
Lake WQ Inv Atmos Shore Lake Name Town Area(acres) 2014 2014 2014 2014
Adams Enosburgh 11
Bakersfield-N; Bakersfield 10 Beaver Meadow
Brk-L; 18 Beaver Meadow
Brk-U; 14
Browns 10
Fairfield Fairfield 446
Fairfield Swamp Swanton 152
Fairfield-Ne; Fairfield 12
Fairfield-Se; Fairfield 18
Goodsell; 10
Guillmettes Richford 12
Mcallister Lowell 25
Mcgowan-E; 18
Mcgowan-W; 10
Metcalf Fletcher 81
Oxbow; 27
Shawville; 11
South Richford; Richford 12
Bullis; Franklin 11
Carmi Franklin 1402
Little (Franln) Franklin 95
Cutler Highgate 25
To increase DEC’s awareness of higher quality lakes, additional water quality data collection at Little, South Richford, McAllister and Cutler Ponds is warranted based on the lack of invasives and/or the presence of an intact shoreline (see Table 4).
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Stressors, Pollutant and Project Identification
In addition to supporting surface water assessments to identify water quality degradation or reference conditions 10, DEC and partners also support assessments that can lead to a better understanding of the stressor or pollutants and therefore appropriate remediation efforts. The assessments, described in this section, cover most landuse activity as well as the condition of river corridors.
During the tactical basin planning process, the results of the assessments are considered along with modeling results (see end of Chapter for more explanation on modeling analyses). to prioritize geographic areas for project development and to identify priority projects for inclusion in the Tactical Basin Plan’s online implementation table database (Chapter 5). These projects can then be used to help meet regulatory requirements or support voluntary efforts. Specific assessment needs for each subwatershed are included in Tables 5 and Table 10.
Table 5. Status of Basin 6 assessments that lead to stressor/project identification.
Sub-Basin Water Geomor- Illicit Stormwater Road Quality phic Discharge Master or Flow Assessme Monitoring Assessment Detection Restoration nt (volunteer) Plans Rock River U C NA NA X Pike River U PC/X NA C U Missisquoi Upper Missis. U C NA NA X River Mud Creek U C NA NA X
Mid- Missis U C NA NA U Trout River PC/X C NA NA X Tyler Branch PC/X C C NA U Black Creek PC/X C C U U Lower Missis. U C C C U Hungerford Brook PC/X C NA NA U X= proposed in plan C= Completed PC= Partial Completion U=Underway11 NA=Not Applicable
10 Appendix A of the Vermont DEC Water Quality Monitoring Strategy 2011-2020
11 Assessment that are underway also include long-term monitoring efforts taken on by volunteer watershed groups, municipalities or the State.
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Water Quality Monitoring by Citizen Groups
In addition to data collected by DEC staff, DEC also considers stream and lake chemical data collected by other organizations, including volunteer monitoring groups. The results can be important for identifying stressors and sources
Figure 3. Blue Green Algae (BGA) monitor reports by lake section 2015. Explanation of categories: ‘little or no blue-green algae present’ (category 1), ‘little blue-green algae present but enjoyment of water not impaired (category 1d), ‘blue-green algae present – less than bloom levels – enjoyment of water slightly impaired’ (category 2), or ‘blue-green algae bloom in progress – enjoyment of water substantially impaired’ (category 3). Numbers in boxes are the number of sites in each segment. Lake Champlain Committee - https://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/lcc-at-work/algae-in-lake/#c4033
The Cyanobacteria monitoring that is supported by the Vermont Department of Health, the Lake Champlain Committee, DEC and the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) provides information about cyanobacteria conditions that can lead to a better understanding of bloom frequency. Both Missisquoi Bay and Lake Carmi are included in the program. The program at Lake Carmi just recently grew from one station to seven, which does not allow for analysis of trends at this time. Missisquoi Bay has been monitored for cyanobacteria since 2010 (for additional information about the program
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and resulting data see the LCBP monitoring programs webpage). Drinking water supplies are also regularly tested for cyanobacteria-based toxins.
The DEC supports volunteer water quality monitoring effort through the LaRosa Lab Program, which provides analyses services to the volunteer group through a grant program. The most common parameters requested include total and dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen and total suspended solids.
In Basin 6, the program assists the Franklin Watershed Committee (FWC) in sampling the Lake Carmi tributaries, the Missisquoi River Basin Association (MRBA) in sampling sites throughout the basin and the Friends of Northern Lake Champlain in sampling sites to determine effectiveness of agricultural BMPs. Once the samples are analyzed, the lab organizes all volunteer water quality monitoring data for easy downloaded to an excel file available to groups for use in their annual reports. Data and reports can be found at the LaRosa Volunteer Monitoring webpage
An analysis of the data collected by the FWC and the MRBA, completed through a contract with DEC (Gerhardt, 2015) , concluded:
“…. total phosphorus concentrations were extremely high in the watersheds of Hungerford and Godin Brooks and two of the tributaries of Lake Carmi (Marsh and Sandy Bay Brooks). Total phosphorus concentrations were moderately high in the watersheds of Black and Mud Creeks and several tributaries of Lake Carmi. Finally, total phosphorus concentrations were low or moderate along Tyler Branch and several Figure 4. Subwatershed (hatched in red) where MRBA and FWC data have been analyzed in detail. Source: Gerhardt, 2015)
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other tributaries of Lake Carmi. Based on these analyses and discussions with other stakeholders, possible sources of the high phosphorus levels were identified for several watersheds, including Godin, Marsh, and Sandy Bay Brooks.” (Gerhardt, 2015). The study also provided recommendations for changes to sampling sites, see Table 10.
The Critical Source Area “SWAT”modeling (Lake Champlain Basin Program, 2011) completed for the Missisquoi predicts phosphorus loading levels in line with the Gerhardt analysis (Table 6). The model predicted the highest phosphorus loadings for the Missisquoi Bay in the watersheds of the Rock, with the Pike, Hungerford, Mud Creek and Hungerford and Pike Rivers in the next highest loading category.
An earlier water quality study of a limited number of tributaries also indicated that total phosphorus concentrations were highest in Hungerford Brook, but they also found that total phosphorus concentrations in Tyler Branch were more similar to those measured in Black and Mud Creeks (Howe et al. 2011).
Different conclusions among the studies are expected, especially between the LCBP modeling study and the water quality studies as the first provided predicted responses, while the water quality studies identified actual concentrations at the time sampled. Model estimates are always compared against observed values to assess fit, and understanding fit is vital if model results are going to be used to inform and prioritize management actions.
Conflicting results amont the water quality studies is due to differences in sampling design, for example when and how often samples were collected. The Howe study may have caught higher pollutant loads from the Tyler Branch than the other studies because the sampling plan intensionally included high flow days, where pollutant concentrations are higher when land activity and channel erosion is the source.
A summary of the water quality data in Table 6 includes prioritization of areas for focus of efforts to reduce phosphorus loading.
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Table 6 Areas of focus for phosphorus reduction in this plan highlighted in red and orange based on analyses of phosphorus water sampling or critical source area modeling from 4 studies in Basin 6. Green represents streams that most likely meet the numeric Vermont Water Quality Standards for phosphorus concentrations, orange represents moderately high concentrations (above VWQS) and red high concentrations.
Subwatershed 1. Short term 2. CSA modeling 3. MRBA and 4. monitoring (LCBP, 2011) FWC data (Howe et al. (Gerhardt, 2015) 2011) Rock High Pike High Hungerford High High High Black Moderate Moderate High Moderately high Mud Creek Moderate High Moderately high Tyler Moderate Moderate Low Moderate to Low Trout Low Low Godin High Marsh High Sandy Bay . High
Stream Geomorphic Assessments
Geomorphic assessments measure and assess the physical dynamics of an entire watershed or collection of river reaches. Physical aspects of river dynamics are assessed using maps, existing data, and windshield surveys (Phase 1), using field observation and simple measurements (Phase 2) and/or using surveying techniques and quantitative analysis (Phase 3 or River Corridor Plans). See Vermont River Management Section - Geomorphic Assessment for more information.
In addition, in 2009, the DEC River Management Program and the Lake Champlain Basin Program initiated a project with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Oxford, Mississippi to better understand the sediment and nutrient loading caused by stream channel erosion. Employing the Bank Stability and Toe Erosion Model (BSTEM), 30 sites were evaluated throughout the Missisquoi Bay watershed. Results show that stream bank erosion contributes approximately 29-42% of the total suspended sediment load (TSS), and approximately 36% of total phosphorus (TP) at the mouth of the Missisquoi River. Best management practices were evaluated for reductions in TSS and TP load, and can achieve reductions of approximately 5-90% and
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35-90%, respectively. These practices involve long-term protection of river corridors and riparian vegetation to achieve the highest load reductions (Langendoen, E. 2012).
The assessed tributaries in Basin 6 are experiencing incision and subsequent and ongoing planform adjustments in lower reaches. It is estimated that up to 75% of the waterways in the Missisquoi Bay Basin are undergoing channel adjustments due to historic modifications (NRCS, 2008). In the basin, the most common causes of disequilibrium are dams, diversions, culverts, drainage practices including ditches and tile drains and channelization practices, such as dredging, berming, and armoring. A significant amount of legacy phosphorus and sediment loading is attributable to in- channel erosion (Lake Champlain Basin Program, 2011).
Another source of disquilibrium is related to increased discharge of stormwater associated with increased development (impervious surfaces) within the watershed of each tributary.
This Tactical Basin Plan presents results of a comprehensive review of all priority river protection and restoration projects listed in the Stream Geomorphic Assessments (SGA) corridor plans (Table 7) as well as the results from the BSTEM study (see above). Projects are included in the online implementation table database (Chapter 5).
Priority projects include actions that will lead to least erosive channels as well as increased flood resilience for communities. Examples include riparian buffer planting, increasing or protecting areas that provide flood and sediment attenuation and reducing stormwater runoff volumes.
Priority streams for river corridor protection include Upper Missisquoi, Trout and Tyler because of disequilibrium (high level of sensitivity and incision rates). Soils are also not as cohesive as in other areas, allowing for stream channel movement over a shorter time period than in areas with finer soils. Providing protection to the river corridor through property easement will support the movement of these streams towards an appropriate planform over time. The protection of the river corridor in the Black Creek watershed is appropriate to protect existing floodplain access.
Floodplain restoration will be a focus in the Hungerford Brook, Rock River and the mid-Missisquoi where the stressor, channel erosion, results in a loss of floodplain connection, sending fine sediment particles into the Missisquoi.
Riparian plantings are a priority where a mature woody buffer can establish itself without significant loss from channel erosion. Appenix B includes description of a
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 21 | Page modeling tool that can prioritize prioritize riparian buffer enhancement planting sites on the Rock and Pike Rivers based on stable condition of reach as well as high potential for overland runoff.
Culvert and bridge replacement to conform with the geomorphic condition of streams will be mostly limited to deteriorating structures because of the significant cost to the towns. Towns will be assisted by the Northwest Regional Planning Commission and the Northern Vermont Development Association in prioritizing and planning for expense, see Appendix B for description of culvert replacement prioritization process and Appendix C for list of culverts whose size or alignment is incompatible with the stream’s geomorphic condition.
Table 7 Stream Geomorphic Assessments and River Corridor Plans for Basin 6
Date Stream Reach Sub Title 12 Priority Actions for TBP Watersh ed 12/01/2005 Wanzer Brook Black Wanzer Brook Protect, riparian buffer planting
Creek Watershed Phase 2 Head 4/01/2009 Black Creek Black Black Creek Corridor Riparian buffer planting, protect floodplain
Creek Plan access, reduce sediment input from upland Mouth sources (cropland) 4/01/2008 Hungerford Brook Hungerford Hungerford Brook Restore hydrology: restore floodplain and
Brook Corridor Plan wetlands 10/01/2006 Hungerford Brook Hungerford Hungerford Brook See above
Brook Phase 2 Report 3/01/2008 Missisquoi Missisquoi - Missisquoi River Riparian buffer protection, control urban
Canada to Mainstem Phase 2 stormwater Trout 1/26/2007 Rock River Rock River Rock River Phase 2 Restore floodplain and wetland, reduce
Report sediment input from upland sources (cropland) 4/01/2007 Trout River Watershed Trout River Trout River Watershed Increase woody riparian buffer, control
Towns of Berkshire, Head Phase 2 sediment from upland sources (roads), Enosburgh, Richford, protect river corridors and Montgomery 3/01/2007 Tyler Branch Tyler Tyler Branch Corridor Increase woody riparian buffer, Protect or
Branch Plan increase areas for attenuation of sediment; control sediment from upland sources
12 https://anrweb.vt.gov/DEC/SGA/finalReports.aspx
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Date Stream Reach Sub Title 12 Priority Actions for TBP Watersh ed 6/02/2009 Tyler Branch Tyler Tyler Branch Corridor See above
Branch Plan 3/27/2008 Missisquoi Mainstem, Upper Missisquoi Mainstem, Reduce sediment and stormwater inputs Jay Branch, Mud Creek Missisquoi Jay Branch, Mud from upland sources. Protect river corridor Creek Phase 2 in upper Missisquoi. 9/30/2011 Upper Missisquoi Upper Upper Missisquoi River Allow channel to regain planform by
Missisquoi Corridor Plan protecting river corridor. Increase woody riparian buffer.
Stormwater Master Plans and Mapping
Stormwater runoff from developed areas carries pollutants as well as increasing flows in streams, causing streambank erosion. Regulations that work towards the management of stormwater to protect receiving water bodies are discussed in Chapter 4. In addition, The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has supported town stormwater mapping and master plans as well as illict discharge detection to help both with regulatory requirements and voluntary efforts.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has supported the development of stormwater master plans to identify and address priority areas for stormwater management for Enosburgh, Fairfield, Franklin, Highgate, Richford, Sheldon, and Swanton. The department encourages the use of Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) systems and practices that manage stormwater by restoring and maintaining the natural hydrology of a watershed. Rather than funneling stormwater off site through pipes and infrastructure, these systems (gardens or permeable materials) focus on infiltration, evapotranspiration, and storage as close to the source as possible to capture runoff before it gets to surface waters.
These plans took into account work identified in DEC’s stormwater mapping inventories, see below.
Completed stormwater mapping inventories exist for the following urbanized areas: Swanton Village, Swanton Town around Swanton Village, Missisquoi Valley Union High School, Highgate Village, Sheldon Rock-Tenn Facility, Enosburg Falls Village, Richford Village, Montgomery Village, North Troy Village, Troy Village and Newport Town Village. Each Town report and overall drainage map can be found on the DEC Clean Water Initiative Program web site. The reports and maps from each project are
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meant to provide an overall picture and understanding of the connectivity of the storm system on both public and private properties in order to raise the awareness of the need for regular maintenance. The generation and transport of nonpoint source pollution increases with increasing connectivity of a drainage system. Having an understanding of the connectedness of the system is also a valuable tool for hazardous material spill planning and prevention. These reports identify priority projects in the study areas and provide information necessary to develop a stormwater master plan.
The Department also supported illict discharge and detection elimination (IDDE) surveys to find and locate discharges of municipal or industrial wastewater. They were completed for all of the villages in 2010. The following three identified discharges remain to be addressed:
Town Identification13 Description Richford RF-010X Unresolved sewer leak from old discharge pipe, Richford RF-045 Sewer manhole overflow needs to be plugged North Troy 140 Main St/NT060 Incorrect residential laundry lateral, water turned off to house. Owner never home. Town unable to contact or get in.
The online implementation table database includes priority projects from stormwater master plans and the illicit discharge detection surveys. The master planning process includes the review of projects identified in the stormwater mapping projects. Priority projects are identified based on significance in comparison to projects throughout the basin and additional information collected relating to the feasibility of a proposed project.
Road Erosion Inventories
Road Erosion Inventories (REI) are used by Vermont municipalities to identify sections of local roads in need of sediment and erosion control, assess the degree of need for sediment and erosion control, rank road segments that pose the highest risks to surface waters, and estimate costs to remediate those sites using Best Management Practices. The implementation of the priorities identified in REI’s will support the reduction of sediment, phosphorus pollutants and other contaminants generated from unpaved municipal roads that contribute to water quality degradation.
13 See illict discharge and detection elimination survey for the town report and additional location information
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With the assistance of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission and the Northern Vermont Development Association, towns in the basin are beginning the process of developing inventories based on the protocols developed by DEC. The plan recommends that technical and financial assistance be prioritized for interested towns based on water quality benefit of projects. Criteria to assess water quality benefit may include location of project in area prioritized for phosphorus reduction from roads (see Chapter 4). The resources would assist with development of designs, capital budgets, cost estimates and implementation. Completion of these projects may be counted towards meeting the requirements of the Municipal Road General Permit that is scheduled to be released in fall or winter of 2017. For additional information see the DEC municipal Roads Program.
Wetland Restoration
An important function of wetlands is the ability to attenuate nonpoint source phosphorus (P) and thereby maintain and improve downstream water quality. The 2007 VT Agency of Natural Resources’s Lake Champlain Basin Wetland Restoration Plan includes the identification and prioritization of wetlands in the Vermont portion of the Lake Champlain Basin (LCB) with the greatest potential for P removal through restoration. The plan identified the need for a higher percentage of wetland restoration needs in Basin 6 compared to other areas. The plan identified over 7000 potential restoration sites for a total of over 10,0000 acres for restoration within the Missisquoi basin, which is 16% of the total number of sites identified in the Plan. The DEC-WSMD is updating the plan to include changes in landuse and improvements in datalayers (2016) where site specific profiles will be created for over 200 potential restoration sites in this basin.
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Figure 5. Lake Champlain Basin Wetland Restoration Plan: Potential restoration sites in Basin 6 within Orleans County.
Flow Alteration
Flow alteration is any human-induced change in the natural flow of a river or stream or water level of a lake or reservoir. Flow alteration is associated with instream structures and practices that regulate flows or water levels or withdraw water, i.e., activities that obstruct, dewater, or artificially flood aquatic and riparian habitats. Regulating flows impacts habitat and water quality, including changes to temperature and water chemistry (e.g., pH, dissolved oxygen, and toxicity), which may significantly lower habitat suitability for certain aquatic organisms. Flow alteration can also occur due to small-scale practices such as road culverts and ditches, up to large-scale dams, reservoirs and irrigation networks.
The Department of Environmental Conservation reviews hydroelectric generating dams as a flow alteration activity and issues a certification pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) that the project as operated meets the Vermont Water Quality Standards The following are currently operating hydroelectric generating dams in the Missisquoi Basin. Additionally, Swanton Hydro, LLC holds a preliminary permit from
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 26 | Page the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to investigate the feasibility of developing a hydroelectric project at the lower Swanton dam. The surface waters impounded by and downstream of these facilities are classified to maintain designated uses at a Class B(2) level of quality.
Table 8. Hydroelectric generating dams in Basin 6
Dam Name Stream Comments Enosburg Falls Missisquoi River will begin FERC relicensing in 2017-2018 Highgate Falls Missisquoi River will begin FERC relicensing in 2018-2019 Sheldon Springs Missisquoi River will begin FERC relicensing in 2019 Bakers Falls Missisquoi River operating under a FERC exemption and 40114 issued in 2011 North Troy Hydoelectric Project Missisquoi River operating under a FERC exemption and 401 issued in 1987 Alder Brook Project Missisquoi River active FERC exemption and was issued 401 in March 2010. It is unclear whether the project was ever built.
Flow assessments
Managing water levels in a stream to meet human needs for property protection or a water source can compete with the need to protect aquatic habitat. Assessments have identified flow alterations that the DEC addresses to ensure compliance with the Vermont Water Quality Standards as well the Vermont Surface Level Rules either through regulatory processes or as owner of a dam (see also online implementation table database)
Lake Carmi: The water level of Lake Carmi has been managed seasonally with a drawdown of the water occurring in the late fall by removing stop logs at the dam. The stop logs are replaced in late spring to restore the water level. Winter drawdowns are known to have negative impacts to the near-shore habitat of lakes effecting overwinter, spawning and incubation of organisms. The dam that controls the water level of Lake Carmi is owned by DEC. In 2016, the Department worked with the town and Lake Carmi Campers Association to end this drawdown. The Department’s Dam Safety
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Program will be no longer permit removal of the stoplogs at the dam and they will be locked in place.
Missisquoi River – below Enosburg Falls dam: The Enosburgh hydroelectric project current operation results in flow alterations that impact aquatic habitat below the dam. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for the project expires in 2023 with the relicensing process beginning in approximately 2018. As part of the relicensing the project will require a Section 401 water quality certification from the State. As part of the Agency review of the project, flows needed to support aquatic habitat below the dam will be evaluated.
Jay Branch: Jay Peak currently operates a water withdrawal on the Jay Branch for snowmaking at the resort. The conservation flow below the intake does not meet current requirements under the Agency’s Snowmaking Rules. Jay Peak is evaluating alternative sources for snowmaking, including the construction of a new intake on the Missisquoi River in Troy.
Stanhope Brook: The town of Richford withdraws water from Stanhope Brook for its water supply. The Department’s analysis of the water withdrawal operations indicate that the project can exacerbate low stream flow conditions (summer months), impacting aquatic biota and habitat. The Department intends to conduct further studies. In addition, the DEC Drinking Water and Ground Water Program will support the town in using Drinking Water State Revolving funds to support any infrastructure changes that would reduce demands on Stanhope Brook.
Dams
While some of the dams in the basin provide power generation (Table 8) and recreational opportunities, and can be aesthetically or culturally important, others may be obsolete, providing little or no public benefit, or constituting a hazard. Removal of dam provides benefits to stream stability, and run of stream opportunities for boating as well as aquatic organism passage. Removal is considered when dams no longer provide benefits and/or have become structurally unsafe. Table 9 includes dams that could be considered for removal. These are also included in the online implementation table database.
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Table 9. Potential actions for dams: Blue=evaluation needed; orange - candidate for removal; yellow - review drawdown schedule
Dam State Dam Name Stream Hazard ID Class15 9.01 Johnsons Mill Bogue Branch 3 9.02 Browns Pond The Branch 3 19.02 Trout Brook Reservoir Trout Brook 3 19.03 East Berkshire Missisquoi River-TR 71.03 Webster (Upper) Black Creek 3 71.02 Webster (Lower) Black Creek 3 71.05 Fairfield Fairfield River 96.02 East Highgate16 Missisquoi River Delvin Warner Hydro East Branch Missisquoi 142.01 Sleeper Pond Mud Creek 3 165.03 Guilmettes Pond Missisquoi River-TR 3 165.01 Richford Reservoir Missisquoi River-OS 3 187.02 Sheldon-2 Goodsell Brook 3 205.02 Swanton Missisquoi River 3 205.01 Fairfield Swamp Pond Dead Creek 3 232.01 Coburn Brook Reservoir Coburn Brook 3 Lake Carmi dam17 Pike River
Agricultural Assessments for Project Identification
In the past decade, the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Lake Champlain Basin Program (2011), and USEPA have conducted surveys, modeling, or planning efforts to help identify agricultural activity that potentially results in water resource degradation and to prioritize remediation. The results of these efforts have and will continue to direct technical and financial assistance in the most effective and efficient manner. In addition to this work, two recent agricultural assessments were instrumental in developing actions in the online implementation table database.
15 Dam Hazard Class: The hazard class is based upon the potential of damage or loss of life if the dam were to fail and is not related to the condition of the dam, which could be an indication of the potential to fail. A hazard class of 3 indicates a low hazard to downstream uses were the dam to fail. For more detailed explanation, see DEC dam-safety inspection program. 16 Northern Forest Canoe Trail, supported by town of Swanton, is moving forward with removal. 17 This action was completed during the tactical basin planning process. DEC discontinued drawdown in summer of 2016.
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North Lake Farm Survey
The AAFM’s18 plan for assessing agricultural operations in the Lake Champlain Basin (see Chapter 2 regarding Phase 1 TMDL for Lake Champlain) begins with Missisquoi River Basin and St. Albans Bay watershed (Franklin and Orleans Counties). The resulting North Lake Farm Survey (NLFS), completed in the spring of 2016, quantifies the impacts of agriculture on Lake Champlain by surveying X farm facilities. The survey work by VAAFM staff includes working closely with farmers to assess their potential impact on water quality and to help them to understand Vermont’s new water quality regulations.
The North Farm survey is in addition to the farm inspections conducted by VAAFM employees on an annual basis for Large Farm Operations (LFOs) and every 3 years for Medium Farm Operations (MFOs). In accordance with Act 64, Small Farm Operations (SFOs ) will be certified and inspected every 10 years starting in July, 2017. If water quality violations are found during an inspection, VAAFM may take enforcement action to include written warnings or notice of violations with proposed penalties.
18 The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (AAFM) reviews agricultural activity for compliance with Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAP)18 and opportunities for installation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). A description of agriculture in the basin is provided in Appendix C of the previous basin plan (DEC, 2009). Resources available to assist in BMP implementation are outlined in Appendix E.
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In analysis of the survey to date, the AAFM has found that six areas have been identified as being most in need of additional measures to meet regulatory standards including: Nutrient Management Planning (NMP), Cropland Management and Production Area structures.
In addition, although Financial Assistance programs are available for North Lake Farms—75% of facilities surveyed have not yet accessed these programs. Through this survey, VAAFM has identified a gap in rates of access of financial assistance between permitted LFO/MFO farms and small.
Significantly expanded financial assistance resources are currently available from federal, State and local partners to assist farmers in developing a NMP, as well as in implementing conservation practices in the production area, cropland and pastures (see XXX)
VAAFM intends to design and implement a strategy to increase participation and access by small farms of financial and technical assistance resources available to farms in Vermont (Expand: case managers?).
Figure 6 AAFM North Farm Survey Results Source: AAFM
Natural Resources Conservation Service Priority Watershed Planning
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)’s Lake Champlain Strategic Watershed Planning Approach was created to accelerate improved water quality in critical areas by collaborating with partners to provide outreach, education, technical, and financial assistance to agricultural producers. This effort will help farmers in meeting the agricultural phosphorus reductions identified in the Lake Champlain Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
State, federal and local partners developed a multi-factor ranking process to identify the most critical subwatersheds for accelerated agricultural conservation practice
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implementation. In the Missisquoi watershed the Rock River and Pike River subwatersheds were selected for this effort. NRCS then developed high-resolution watershed plans for each of the selected watersheds. These plans include: a resource assessment for the watershed, development of watershed phosphorus reduction goals that are tied to the new TMDL requirements, and detailed action plans to implement the plan.
The development of the plans was guided by local watershed groups, comprised of state and federal partners, local watershed groups, concerned citizens, and local farmers.
The watershed plans will be used by NRCS and partners to: • Identify potential critical areas on farms for conservation practice implementation • Set phosphorus reduction and practice implementation goals for each watershed • Estimate funding required to implement needed conservation practices • Identify actions required to meet goals in each watershed • Track progress in reaching goals over time
Beginning in 2016, these watersheds will receive accelerated and targeted agricultural practice implementation over the next 5 years. Additional funds from NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) will be allocated to these subwatersheds each year. Targeted phosphorus reduction goals for each of the subwatersheds was based on a percentage of the required TMDL phosphorus reduction for the Missisquoi watershed. A 5 year reduction goal of 40% of the TMDL goal was established for the Rock River subwatershed, while the 5 year goal for the Pike River watershed is 65%.
The NRCS developed plans for the Rock River and Pike River watersheds are further described in Chapter 3, and can be accessed at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/vt/water/watersheds/
For additional information relating to resources in basin 6 available to the agricultural sector, please see Appendix E, USDA NRCS/Vermont State Funding Summary.
Modeling Tools to Identify Remediation and Protection Efforts
The Department of Environmental Conservation and its partners use modeling techniques to predict sources of pollutants, estimate pollutant loads and also to identify where practices might be most effective at addressing the pollutant. Modeling tools play a significant role in the development of the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase II planning-level “sub-allocations.” They are used to estimate phosphorus loads
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to lakes and rivers from specific geographic areas and landuse activities, as well as to determine effective practices (also known as a best management practices) for addressing load reductions from a specific landuse activity within a subbasin or even more specific geographic areas. The models and the results are included in Chapter 3’s section about the Lake Champlain Phosphorus Phase II.
Modeling can never achieve a 100% accurate representation of actual conditions on the ground. For that reason, model estimates are always compared against observed values to assess fit. The assessments and plans described at the beginning of Chapter 2 are based on the results of field work and therefore include those observed values. The results from observations, monitoring, assessments, and modeling are used in the development of the management actions in this plan (see online implementation table database).
Modeling tools, complemented by site visits to verify conditions, can be used by technical staff in developing proposals for landowners or by programs to support planning, (e.g, estimate load reductions from BMPs, see below). Such work has already been underway relying on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s very high resolution “SWAT model.” An further example would include promoting corn-hay rotation as one BMP for areas with clay soils, where modeling indicates that continuous corn produces excess phosphorus runoff (Figure 4).
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Figure 7. Modeling to show where BMPs would be most appropriate based on site conditions such as soils. An example would include prescribing corn-hay rotation as the BMP for areas with clay soils, where modeling program has been able to identify fields where corn has been cultivated continuously over multiple years. The BMPs listed are examples from USEPA’s Lake Champlain TMDL analyses.
The following modeling or data analyses listed below have and will continue to be part of the process for identifying the efficacy of actions included in the online implementation table database along with the assessments and plans described earlier in this chapter. The modeling tools are described in more detail in Chapter 3 or Appendix B, and include information about how the information will be made available to any organization responsible for assisting in BMP implementation.
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The following modeling tools and other assessments used to identify remediation and protection actions are described in greater detail in Chapter 3 or Appendix B:
• SWAT model • HUC12 Tool • EPA Scenario Tool • ANR tracking Tool • Clean Water Road Map Tool (in development) • Prioritizing agricultural fields for BMP • Prioritizing Riparian Buffer Enhancement • Field gully identification • Floodplain restoration
Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Needs
In addition to waters identified as needing further monitoring and assessment in Table 3, Table 10 includes additional monitoring and assessment needs based on conclusions from assessments previously described in this chapter or the results of the DEC MAPP monitoring work19 or the ANR Department of Fish and Wildlife. In large part, the locations listed bleow are identified for the purpose of collecting information that would support reclassification of one or more designated use to a higher class of protection.
Table 10. Additional proposed monitoring and assessment needs to inform remediation or protection strategies.
Water body Town Assessment Existing data Monitoring Goal supporting goal needs Cutler Pond Highgate Confirm Best Lake Lack of invasives and Water chemistry status intact shoreline Little Pond Franklin Confirm Best Lake Lack of invasives and Water chemistry status intact shoreline
19 The use of macroinvertebrate and fish communities to assess water quality and uses is described in the Vermont Water Quality Standards as well as the 2016 DEC Assessment and Listing Methodology
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Water body Town Assessment Existing data Monitoring Goal supporting goal needs McCallister Pond Lowell Confirm Best Lake Lack of invasives and Shoreline inventory status good water quality conditions Jay Branch (2002) – Jay Explore as Class 238 trout/mile, 21.7 Additional trout RM 2.5 Revoir Flats B(1) for fishing use lbs/acre. density data Road – Jay Branch (2002) – Jay Explore as Class 779 trout/mile, 34.1 Additional trout RM 5.3 Lucier Road B(1) for fishing use lbs/acre density data – Jay Branch Jay Explore as Class DFW Fisheries Additional trout upstream of RM 9.1. B(1) for fishing use biologist Best density data Professional Judgement Jay Branch Trib 10 Jay Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One more year of fish B(1) for aquatic supporting higher data biota and wildlife classification than Class B2 Jay Branch Jay Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One more year of fish Tributaries 12 B(1) for aquatic supporting higher data above Lower Access biota and wildlife classification than Road, Jay (above Class B2 or other: RM.2) and 13 Macroinvertebrates East Branch Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One more year of fish Missisquoi River B(1) for aquatic supporting higher data Tributary 8 and biota and wildlife classification than Trib 10 Class B2 or other: Macroinvertebrates Mineral Springs Troy Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year of Brook (above Rm B(1) for aquatic supporting higher macroinvertebrate .2) biota and wildlife classification than and fish data Class B or other: Macroinvertebrates and fish 2016
Truland Brook Lowell Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year (above RM1.8) B(1) for aquatic supporting higher and find new fish biota and wildlife classification than monitoring station Class B2 or other: Macroinvertebrates 2016
Taft Brook (above Westfield Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year of RM 2.1) B(1) for aquatic supporting higher Macroinvertebrates biota and wildlife classification than and fish Class B2 or other: Macroinvertebrates and fish 2009
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Water body Town Assessment Existing data Monitoring Goal supporting goal needs Tamarack (above Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year of RM 1.6) B(1) for aquatic supporting higher fish data biota and wildlife classification than Class B2 or other: Macroinvertebrates and fish 2013
Beaver Meadow Bakersfield Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year of Road (above RM 2) B(1) for aquatic supporting higher data biota and wildlife classification than Class B or other Macroinvertebrates and fish 2004
McGowan Brook Sheldon Confirm as Class Biomonitoring data One additional year above RM 1 B(1) for aquatic supporting higher biota and wildlife classification than Class B2 or other Macroinvertebrates 2013
Lake Carmi Franklin Identify nutrient Study reviewed See (Gerhardt, 2015) sources existing monitoring or online sites and provided implementation suggestions table database for (Gerhardt, 2015) recommended location of new sampling sites Missisquoi River Multiple Identify nutrient Study reviewed See (Gerhardt, 2015) sources existing monitoring or online sites and provided implementation suggestions table database for (Gerhardt, 2015) recommended location of new sampling sites Existing biomonitoring data for aquatic communities suggest that the rivers in Table 10 potentially meet either Class B1 or A1 standards (see Chapter 4). DEC will conduct additional monitoring and assessment of these waters to confirm.
Priority Subbasins for Remediation
The assessment results described throughout this Chapter as well as the EPA and state- listed waters (Table 3) provide a basis for identifying priority subbasins (Table 11) for remediation. These priority subbasins have been identified as providing significant phosphorus and sediment loads to the watershed and/or are in need of protection for
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Table 11. Strategies and actions for priority subbasins.
Priority subbasins Stressor Priority Priority strategy actions Hungerford Brook - hydrologically Channel Phosphorus Field BMPs, modified due to intense ditching, erosion, land reduction, floodplain and resulting in increased erosion of stream erosion, hydrologic wetland nutrient channels. The intensive use of fields restoration restoration loading for annual crops has also resulted in erosion. Rock River - high sediment loads due to Channel Phosphorus Field and clay soils, limited floodplain access, erosion, land reduction, Road BMPs; multiple riverbank slides (mass erosion, sediment riparian nutrient failures) and intensive cropping/farm reduction plantings; loading land use floodplain and wetland restoration Lake Carmi - intensive agricultural Channel Phosphorus Field, landuse, and shoreline development. erosion, land reduction, residential erosion, Stormwater and road encroachment management BMPs, and floodplain and shoreline restoration Black Creek - good floodplain access Nutrient Phosphorus Riparian and cohesive soils, limiting river loading, land reduction; plantings, channel erosion. Annual crop erosion sediment field BMPs cultivation in floodplain allows for reduction; land erosion outside of growing season. Tyler Branch - Outside of the Branch, Channel Flood resilience, River corridor which is in good condition, other areas erosion, land sediment protection, include more intense landuse including erosion, reduction field and road agricultural and roads. BMPs
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Priority subbasins Stressor Priority Priority strategy actions Tributaries to the Mid Missisquoi land erosion, Phosphorus and Field, including Godin, Sampsonville and nutrient Pathogen barnyard and Berry Brooks - small watersheds with loading, reduction road BMPs pathogens, intensive agricultural activity. Mud Creek - The fine soils, and land erosion, Phosphorus Field, agricultural practices and roads on nutrient reduction barnyard and steeper slopes all increase nutrient loading road BMPs, loading to the creek. riparian plantings Upper Missisquoi River- mostly Channel Flood resilience; River corridor forested, with roads and development erosion sediment protection, on steep slopes. Instability of the Land erosion reduction Field and road channel and steep roads leads to high BMPs sediment loads in stream. Agriculture in valleys. Trout River - mostly forested, with Channel Flood resilience; River corridor roads and development on steep slopes. erosion, land sediment protection, Instability of the channel and steep erosion, reduction field and road roads leads to high sediment loads in BMPs stream. Agriculture in valleys.
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Chapter 3 –Addressing Stressors and Pollutants through TMDLs and Regulatory Programs
Regulatory programs play a significant role in ensuring that pollutants and stressors responsible for degraded water quality are addressed. The ANR’s and the Agency of Agricultural, Food and Markets’ regulatory programs that are associated with water resource protection are described in Appendix A of the Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy, and in this Chapter.
The passage of Act 64 in 2015 resulted in the creation of the State’s Clean Water Initiative Program (CWIP). The CWIP provides additional resources toward sediment and phosphorus reduction, based upon the assessments and integrated implementation table action (online implementation table database) in this tactical basin plan. The goals of the Initiative are to satisfy the State’s legal obligations under both the Vermont Clean Water Act and the federal Clean Water Act. At the highest level, priorities include:
• Implementing Agriculture Best Management Practices • Treating Stormwater Runoff and Erosion from Developed Lands • Installing Pollution Controls on State and Municipal Roads • Restoring and Protecting Natural Infrastructure (e.g., wetlands) for Flood Resiliency and Water Quality Improvements • Increasing Investments in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure
The regulatory processes that will support the priorities include the development of the following permits or regulations:
• Required Agricultural Practices • Town road permit • VTrans road permit • Management of stormwater on under or un-treated 3 acre parcels
The new and existing regulations will be importants tool that ensure Vermont’s water quality standards are met. While the online implementation table database (see Chapter 5) includes numerous actions that will be implemented on a voluntary basis, other actions will be required by permits. As appropriate, Clean Water Initiative funding may provide municipalities and landowners with financial assistance to develop and implement requirement management plans under the new permits.
Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plans are also products of regulatory requirements. The Missisquoi Bay and numerous tributaries do not currently meet
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several water quality standards for bacteria, mercury and/or phosphorus. These standards assure that beneficial uses of the river and tributaries, such as swimming, fish consumption and fish habitat, are protected. When water quality standards are not met, the federal Clean Water Act requires states to establish a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for polluted waters.
A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive without violating water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant’s sources. Vermont develops implementation plans for each waterbody with a TMDL that provides reasonable assurance that the waterbody will meet goals by a specific date. Basin 6 includes surface waters with TMDLs for Mercury, bacteria, phosphorus and agricultural sources of pollutants (see Table 3).
The mercury TMDL will be addressed through EPA’s efforts to control emissions from Vermont and other states. The other TMDLs are addressed through implementation plans developed by ANR and approved by EPA. These TMDLs and associated implementation plans are explained in further detail below. The bacterial TMDLs will be met in part by the Lake Champlain phosphorus TMDL. In addition, the development of the agricultural TMDLs are under contract and will build off the Lake Champlain TMDL development process (see below).
Lake Carmi Phosphorus TMDL
The Lake Carmi TMDL was approved by USEPA in 2009 and subsequently, DEC completed the Lake Carmi Phosphorus Reduction Action Plan, 2008. Currently, an Implementation team consisting of the Franklin Watershed Committee, Lake Carmi Campers Association and other area partners are working with DEC to assist in the updating and implementation of the plan.
The TMDL development was based on intensive water quality investigations carried out in Lake Carmi since 1994. From 1994 to 1996, the lake was intensively monitored on a bi‐weekly basis to develop an understanding of the internal phosphorus dynamics in the lake. The goal of that sampling campaign was to determine the relative importance of watershed‐based vs. internal sources of phosphorus to the lake. In 2007, volunteer monitors from the Franklin Watershed Committee collected samples on a weekly basis during the summer of 2007 in locations of the Marsh Brook watershed, as well as at the mouths of Tributaries 4, 5, 6, and the Alder Run.
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The online implementation table database includes actions from the 2008 plan as well as additional actions including additional monitoring and assessment strategies to better understand the lake’s internal phosphorus loading.
The Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase II
The Lake Champlain Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) establishes the allowable phosphorus loadings, or allocations, from the watershed for the lake water quality to meet established standards. These allocations represent phosphorus loading reductions that are apportioned both by land use sector (developed land, agriculture, etc.) and by lake watershed basin or drainages (Lamoille, Missisquoi, etc.). The Missisquoi Bay watershed includes the Missisquoi River drainage as well as the Rock and the Pike river drainages that are officially part of the Northern Lake Champlian drainage (See Figure 8). Due to the large size of the Lake Champlain watershed in Vermont, the modeling techniques used to estimate loading were necessarily implemented at a rather coarse scale. For example, the modeled loading at the mouth of the major river basins is relatively accurate and well represents the collective inputs from the various land uses and physical features of the watershed. On the whole, this is useful to estimate the level of phosphorus reducing BMPs Figure 8. The Missisquoi Bay watershed includes the Lake necessary. However, when Champlain drainage areas: Missisquoi and direct drainages. looking at smaller scale areas such as a municipality, a particular farm or a local road network, it’s necessary to do further, more detailed analysis to determine to appropriate actions for the particular area.
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As part of the TMDL development, EPA developed a “reasonable assurance” analysis at the major-basin scale to determine if it was theoretically possible to obtain to necessary phosphorus reductions. By using modeling results for the entire Champlain Basin, the TMDL was able to show that through a concerted effort across all phosphorus sources, it appeared possible to reach the lake loading targets with appropriate application of BMPs. However, since this exercise was conducted at the major-basin scale, there is no specific prescription as to where BMPs should be applied. It’s through the development of the Tactical Basin Plans that more precise opportunities for BMPs can be identified and prioritized for implementation.
The Lake Champlain phosphorus TMDL will be implemented through a series of permit programs as well as identification of site specific BMPs outside the scope of specific programs, many guided by the content of the Tactical Basin Plans. While many programs will be “self-implementing”, in many instances, application will proceed in a two-step process of first knowing “where to look” for opportunities followed secondly by “what to do”. Many of the phosphorus reduction programs require an initial “assessment” phase to identify what BMPs may already exist on the landscape and where others need to be placed. In some instances, the Tactical Basin Plans can aid prioritization areas of “where to look” first such as expected high phosphorus producing areas. After the assessment phase, BMP implementation can be prioritized and carried forward. Additionally, the Tactical Basin Plans can identify known beneficial projects, the “what to do”, prioritize them for funding so that implementation can be expedited, and also tracked transparently.
The Champlain TMDL also incorporates an “Accountability Framework” that aims to ensure that phosphorus reduction actions are being implemented at a sufficient pace to see results in the lake. While the specific timeline for lake improvement isn’t specified by the TMDL, an estimate of the predicted phosphorus reduction needs to be identified within each Tactical Basin Plan on a 5-year rotating basis. Estimating the potential phosphorus reductions expected from site specific actions is one way of determining if the level of effort is sufficient compared to the overall TMDL goals. This portion of the Tactical Basin Plan attempts to provide that estimate of phosphorus reduction reasonably expected from actions taken in specific areas across the basin, specific to source types and regulatory program.
In conjunction with Tactical Basin Planning is a project implementation tracking system that VTDEC is also developing. This system intends to track implementation of projects across all sectors and apply an expected phosphorus reduction estimate to each. Over time, as projects are continually implemented, a more precise estimate of cumulative
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actual phosphorus reductions can be reported rather than relying on estimates of potential actions.
Several useful modeling products were used to spatially represent where TMDL reductions will be most effectively targeted to implement the TMDL. The underlying data from which many of the following analyses originate is the USEPA SWAT model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool). This model was developed to estimate phosphorus loading from the Lake Champlain watershed from various land use sectors for development of the TMDL. Discrete SWAT models were calibrated/validated for each of the Hydrologic Unit Code – level 8 (HUC8) watersheds as well as for direct drainages to the lake. Three additional tools were developed from the SWAT modeling results: the HUC – level 12 (HUC12) Tool, the BMP Scenario Tool, and the Clean Water Roadmap (in development). In the analyses that follow, varying geographic scales are used, depending on the source sector, and Figure A1 displays these geographic scales: HUC8, HUC12, catchment, in order of decreasing size.
Figure A1. Comparison of HUC8, HUC12, and catchment watershed scales in the Missisquoi bay basin.
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HUC12 Tool
The HUC12 Tool (Figure A2) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that displays SWAT estimates of total phosphorus (TP) loading at a HUC12 scale for each lake segment. TP loading estimates (kg/yr) in the HUC12 Tool are summarized by general land use category for each HUC12 in a lake segment basin (Table A1). In addition, detailed annual load (kg/yr) and areal loading rate (kg/ha/yr) estimates can be displayed by land use for each HUC12. The more detailed information includes the minimum, maximum, mean, median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile loading rates per hectare for each land use category. In this way, TP loading magnitudes can be compared across all HUC12s in a lake segment basin as well as different land use categories within a HUC12.
Figure A2. Screenshot of HUC12 Tool display for Missisquoi Bay lake segment. The Rock River HUC12 is highlighted.
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Table A1. General land use categories in the HUC12 Tool. HUC12 Tool Land Use Categories Continuous Corn Residential
Corn-Hay Rotation Commercial/Industrial
Continuous Hay Road (Paved)
Farmstead (Med/Large) Road (Unpaved)
Farmstead (Small) Forest
Pasture Wetland
BMP Scenario Tool
This Microsoft Excel based tool allows users to apply BMP scenarios at the lake segment basin scale to evaluate the phosphorus load reduction potential of various management actions. The Scenario Tool uses SWAT model results and estimates of BMP efficiencies to answer questions such as: what is the expected phosphorus reduction if this BMP is applied to 60% of the applicable area in a lake segment basin? BMP suitability in a basin is based on SWAT model inputs such as land use, soil type, and slope. Multiple BMPs can be ‘applied’ in a basin, and BMP scenarios can be evaluated for a range of loading sources: developed lands, forests, agricultural lands, unpaved roads, and streambank erosion. This functionality allows users to evaluate whether a specific management plan has the potential to meet the TMDL loading targets for Lake Champlain. Stored scenarios can be compared and contrasted with tabular and visual summaries. The tool also contains extensive summary tables and figures of TMDL targets and existing source loads.
Clean Water Roadmap Tool (in development)
The Clean Water Roadmap Tool (CWR) is a partnership between VT DEC, Keurig- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the Nature Conservancy (TNC), and other stakeholders. The overall goal of the CWR is to ‘map’ the results of the Lake Champlain SWAT model and associated follow-on products, especially EPA’s BMP Scenario Tool, along with management actions contained in DEC’s Tactical Basin Plan implementation tables and tracking systems. The CWR will provide a description of one way the Lake
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Champlain TMDL phosphorus reductions can be achieved, largely based on EPA’s reasonable assurance scenario.
The CWR will be a map-based application that allows users to click on a specified watershed and receive a summary report of relevant best management practices (BMPs) and ultimately, associated implementation table activities in the selected area. BMP suitability will be assessed using the landscape criteria in SWAT and EPA’s Scenario Tool, while implementation table activity locations will be based on data in DEC’s BMP tracking database. The summary data will also include estimated phosphorus loadings based on SWAT modeling. Additional relevant spatial information, such as township boundaries, partner data (TNC’s Conservation Blueprint for Water Quality), hydrologically connected backroads, etc., may also be included. The CWR can be used by regional planners, the public, and DEC staff to identify priority areas and actions for Lake Champlain phosphorus reductions.
What follows below through a series of discussion, tables and graphics is an expression of the TMDL reductions required in as site-specific manner as currently possible. Many of these expressions rely on modeled information that are limited by certain spatial extents even though some sector analyses may be more developed based on the currently available data. Because of this, the summing of loading results across different sectors may not “add up” to overall basin loading estimates but are sufficient for planning-level analyses. In some instances, this information will aid the “where to look” aspect of planning while other instances provide the “what to do”. Over time, more assessment information will more accurately inform the identification of BMP opportunities and it’s the goal of the Tactical Basin Plans to present the most up-to-date information available to facilitate implementing the Lake Champlain TMDL.
TMDL allocations for the Missisquoi Bay segment of Lake Champlain
Vermont contributes about 69 percent (631 MT/yr) of the total phosphorus (TP) load per year to Lake Champlain in comparison to Quebec at 9 percent (77 MT/yr) and New York at 23 percent (213 MT/yr). On average, Missisquoi Bay receives about 24 percent (136 MT/yr) of the total load to Lake Champlain, which is second highest of all segments20.
20 This information is based on tables in the June 17, 2016 Phosphorus TMDLs for Vermont Segments of Lake Champlain by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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In order to meet the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL expectations, total annual TP loading into the Missisquoi Bay is required to be decreased by 64.3 percent or by approximately 46 MT/yr.
Table A2 below provides the final phosphorus allocations and the resulting reductions required for the Missisquoi Bay segment of Lake Champlain. These values are taken directly from the final Lake Champlain TMDL.
Table A2. Summary table of allocations for the Mallets Bay segment of Lake Champlain. The “Analysis” column identifies more detailed sector-specific analyses found later in this section.
Source Category Allocation Total % Analysis category allocation reduction for basin required (MT/yr.) for basin Forest All lands Load Figure LA-1 10.03 50% Tables LA-1, 2
Stream All streams Load 12.66 68.5% Channels
Fields/pastures Load Figures LA-2, 3 9.35 82.8% Agriculture Tables LA-3, 4, 5
Production Areas Wasteload 0.64 80% Tables WLA1, 2
Tables WLA-3, Summary 4, 5, 6 Figure WLA-1, 2
VTrans owned roads Wasteload Figure WLA-3 and developed lands Developed Table WLA-7 11.19 34.2% Land Roads MRGP Wasteload Figure WLA-4
Table WLA-8, 9
MS4 Wasteload
Larger unregulated Wasteload Table WLA-10 parcels
Wastewater WWTF discharges Wasteload 2.00 51.9% Table WLA-11
CSO discharges Wasteload NA NA
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Figure A3 below illustrates the required level of TP reductions identified in the above table at the HUC12 and further to the catchment-scale. The transition from blue to red indicates a greater level of TP reduction across all catchments, as prescribed for all land use sectors across the basin. For example, for any given catchment, the TMDL reduction percentage is applied to each appropriate land use sector, based on the TMDL reductions required for that sector (Table A2, above). Then, all reductions are summed for the catchment and displayed on a relative loading scale. It should be noted that this representation treats all lands in each land use sector equally in its required reduction, which therefore gives a relative sense of the magnitude of potential opportunities for phosphorus reduction.
Figure A3. The necessary TP reductions specified by the TMDL if applied uniformly across the entire Missisquoi, at the catchment scale
Within the basin, the top 20 catchments with the greatest overall identified TP reductions are identified in Table A3. The catchments are located by what town they occur and the total TMDL reduction is broken down by each land use sector. The bold numbers represent catchments that are in the top 20 of TP modeled export for each land use sector. If the total required TMDL reductions were applied to these top 20
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 49 | Page catchments, then 39% of the overall needed basin reduction would be realized. For context, there are 254 total individual catchments in the Missisquoi Bay Basin.
Table A3. Catchments with the highest TP export by land use. Values in bold represent the highest total TP export identified in the top 20 catchments per land use.
Catchment Town name Ag Developed Farmstead Forest Total TP ID Reduction Land Reduction Reduction Reduction (kg/yr) Reduction (kg/yr) (kg/yr) (kg/yr) (kg/yr) 4590503 Fairfield 1118 238 61 168 1585 4590269 Franklin 1181 89 12 15 1297 4590883 Swanton 712 295 46 64 1116 4590875 Highgate 772 154 34 29 989 4590475 Jay 50 140 4 673 867 4590501 Bakersfield 478 176 18 162 834 166176984 Swanton 413 381 4 23 820 4590395 Fairfield 643 82 19 42 786 4590223 Troy 619 75 30 60 785 932010015 St. Albans 433 173 11 124 741 Town 4590479 Enosburgh 547 119 11 50 727 4590453 Cambridge 328 138 16 243 725 4590331 Newport Town 319 99 12 206 636 4590397 Fairfield 498 66 29 29 622 4590375 Sheldon 442 112 24 39 618 4590303 Newport Town 412 72 25 81 592 4590545 Sheldon 468 73 14 13 568 932010376 Highgate 322 127 11 73 534 4590291 Enosburgh 398 71 14 17 500 4590533 Enosburgh 338 116 10 23 488 Percent of total TP reduction if all sector allocations are applied to these 39% catchments
Limiting Phosphorus Losses from Managed Forest
Vermont adopted rules in 1987 for Acceptable Management Practices (AMPs) for Maintaining Water Quality on Logging Jobs in Vermont. The AMPs are intended and designed to prevent any mud, petroleum products and woody debris (logging slash)
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 50 | Page from entering the waters of the State and to otherwise minimize the risks to water quality. The AMPs are scientifically proven methods for loggers and landowners to follow for maintaining water quality and minimizing erosion.
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) has begun the process of updating the AMPs. Key modifications include:
• Require compliance with standards set forth in the DEC Stream Alteration General Permit for actions including the installation and sizing of permanent stream crossing structures on perennial streams.
• Strengthen standards pertaining to temporary stream crossing practices on logging operations. The proposed standards include:
o Better management of ditch water on approaches to stream crossings. The proposal is to prohibit drainage ditches along truck roads from terminating directly into streams and to specify a minimum distance for installing turn-outs. Drainage ditches approaching stream crossings must be turned out into the buffer strip a minimum of 25 feet away from the stream channel, as measured from the top of the bank.
o Better management of surface water runoff from skid trails, truck roads and temporary stream crossings on logging operations. The proposal is to prevent surface runoff from entering the stream at stream crossings from skid trails and truck roads and to specify a minimum distance for installing surface water diversion practices, such as drainage dips. Surface runoff is to be diverted into the buffer strip at a minimum distance of 25 feet from the stream channel, as measured from the top of the bank.
o Better management of stream crossings after logging. The proposal is to prevent erosion and to specify a minimum distance from the stream for diverting runoff. Upon removal of the temporary stream crossing structures, the site is to contain water bars 25 feet from the stream channel on downhill approaches to the stream crossing to divert runoff into the buffer to capture sediment before entering the stream. Additionally, all exposed soil, at a minimum of 50 feet on each side of the crossing, must be stabilized with seed and mulch according to application rates specified in the AMPs.
• Include a new AMP to address the management of petroleum products and other hazardous materials on logging operations. Such materials must be stored in leak-proof containers, place outside of buffer strips, and must be removed when logging is completed.
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• Enhanced stream buffer guidance in the AMPs. Metrics have been established for minimum residual stand density, stand structure and crown cover.
• Enhanced options and guidance with metrics provided for soil stabilization to establish temporary and permanent ground cover.
• Better clarification provided for selection and spacing of water diversions on skid trails and truck roads both during and immediately after logging.
• Increased seeding/mulching of exposed soil adjacent to streams and other bodies of water from 25 feet to 50 feet. For the Missisquoi Bay segment of Lake Champlain, an overall TP reduction target of 50% has been allocated to all forest lands. Based on documentation that the primary sources of phosphorus from forested areas are forest roads and harvest areas, and that AMPs are being revised to address better management of road erosion and harvest areas to avoid water quality impacts, EPA suggests the 50% reduction called for in the Reasonable Assurance scenario is aggressive but attainable.
Based on watershed modeling in support of the TMDL, the catchments are displayed in Figure LA-1 in order of increasing TP export – from blue to red. While TP loading rates are generally low in forested areas, there are situations which could exacerbate loading. Gleaned from the modeling input data, areas of steep slopes and thin soils could be most problematic for forest road building and harvest activity. It’s these areas that could receive the most activity oversight to control erosion.
Figure LA-1. Estimated forest TP loading for the Missisquoi basin at the catchment scale.
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The mapped catchment and HUC12 scale TP export is also shown in Tables LA-1 and LA-2. Table LA-1 identifies the highest-loading catchments in Figure LA-1 by town and also lists the forest load as well as the potential phosphorus load reduction if the overall basin reduction target were applied (50%). However, actual reductions based on adherence to the Accepted Management Practices could perhaps be greater in these areas if export rates are actually higher. Table LA-2 provides similar data for the top 5 exporting HUC12s. If allocated reductions were completely applied to these top five HUC12s, approximately 60% of the required reductions from forest land could be realized.
Table LA-1. The top 3 modeled catchments for forest TP load export (red catchments in Figure LA-1).
Catchment ID Town Name Forest TP (kg/yr) Potential Phosphorus Reduction (kg/yr) 4590475 Jay 1346 673 4590497 Lowell 605 302 4590453 Cambridge 487 243 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied to 13% these catchments
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Table LA-2. Summary table of top TP forest export HUC12s.
HUC12 Waterbody Forest (kg/yr) TMDL Reduction (kg/yr) Headwater Missisquoi River 3492 1746 Jay Branch-Missisquoi River 3154 1577 Headwaters Trout River 2911 1456 Mineral Spring Brook-Missisquoi 2340 1170 River Lucas Brook-Missisquoi River 1744 872 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied to 60% these HUC12
Reducing Phosphorus Attributable to Unstable Stream Channels
The Lake Champlain Phase I Implementation Plan recognizes that we will never achieve the load reduction targets for unstable streams if we focus entirely on restoration (manipulation-type) activities. If the river corridors along our incised and straightened stream channels are not protected from encroachment, they will be developed, and the potential for restoration would be lost forever. River corridor and floodplain protection ensure that the desired channel evolution, stream equilibrium, and natural floodplain function can take place whether it be from restoration activities or through the natural channel forming processes that occur during floods. Further, the estimation of precise subwatershed phosphorus loadings from stream channels would be a scientifically tenuous proposition at any scale smaller than that established by the TMDL. As such, this Tactical Basin Plan relies on the identification of high-priority subwatersheds where Stream Geomorphic Assessments indicate the highest likelihood for phosphorus reductions thru the pursuit of dynamic stream equilibrium. These are shown in Chapter Two of this Plan, in the Implementation Table summary in Chapter 5, and also in the online Implementation Table database.
DEC has developed a methodology to document long-term achievement of the TMDL allocation for stream channels. This methodology serves as a surrogate for long-term physico-chemical monitoring that would be required for each restorative practice type were it possible to isolate cause and effect at this functional level of assessment—which it is not. This tracking approach follows the methodology used by Tetra-Tech to develop the load and load-reduction calculations for unstable streams by evaluating
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 54 | Page how different practices affect the evolution of Vermont’s incised streams to an idealized condition where stream equilibrium is achieved and the stream has access to its floodplain at the (~2-yr) channel forming flow. Is has been documented that under these ideal geomorphic and hydraulic conditions we see significant capture and storage of fine sediment and phosphorus.
The Stream Equilibrium (SE) Tracking Method starts by establishing a total watershed deficit where the existing condition is subtracted from the ideal condition and a total watershed sum is derived by adding the deficit that is calculated for each reach in the watershed. The deficit for each reach is comprised of two components, one to track restoration activities and another to track corridor and floodplain protection activities. This is a novel approach because most tracking tools focus entirely on activities that manipulate the environment to achieve restoration.
The total watershed deficit is envisioned to be calculated as follows:
The SE tracking method includes spatial and temporal factors that recognize the value of larger floodplains along lower gradient reaches and the influence that erodibility (as a function of channel boundary and bed load characteristics) has on the time frame at which floodplain accessibility might be achieved. For deficit reduction associated with active restoration there is the opportunity to evaluate projects that remove
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encroachments, thereby changing the stream confinement ratio (so essential to the achievement of an equilibrium channel slope) and the evaluation of projects that directly affect channel dimensions, roughness, channel evolution stage and slope. The deficit reduction associated with reach protection projects is evaluated for the strength (standards and longevity) of the land use and channel management restrictions that are put into place.
Data to support the scoring is largely available in the Vermont Stream Geomorphic Assessment database. The land protection scoring will be developed from different existing GIS data layers, and finally, to develop a restoration practice scoring matrix to be able to score each type of project pursued on the ground by the ANR and its partners.
Controlling Phosphorus from Agriculture
Load Allocation
Figure LA-2. Estimated agricultural TP export by catchment. Bolded watershed outline represents HUC12 watersheds.
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In this section, a description of the applicable agricultural phosphorus runoff control regulations will be provided, along with a tabular description of BMP’s that have been suggested by the Reasonable Assurance Scenario presented by EPA’s HUC 12 Scenario Tool. Figure LA-3 presents this description at the HUC 12 scale, while accompanying maps will present downscaled SWAT estimates of areas in the overall watershed where agricultural phosphorus loadings are greatest, by relevant agricultural land use categories. The following regulatory programs or provisions that are part of the load allocation for agricultural lands will be described: Required Agricultural Practices for regulated Small Farms; Large and Medium Farm Permits; BMP Programs, and the Agency of Agriculture – Conservation Law Foundation Settlement Agreement.
Another representation of the modeled TP export map is given in Table LA-3 below. The top twenty TP export catchments are listed and are associated with the town in which they occur. The TP reduction amount is simply calculated by applying the 82.8% reduction allocation as expressed in the TMDL for the entire basin. This ranking provides the general reduction opportunities as they exist across the landscape but actual practice implementation will vary across catchments as practical assessment information is obtained.
Table LA-3. Catchments with the highest estimated TP agricultural export (non-farmstead).
Catchment ID Town Name Ag TP (kg/yr) TP Reduction based on overall basin agricultural load allocation (kg/yr) 4590269 Franklin 1426 1181 4590503 Fairfield 1350 1118 4590875 Highgate 933 772 4590883 Swanton 860 712 4590395 Fairfield 777 643 4590223 Troy 748 619 4590479 Enosburgh 660 547 4590397 Fairfield 602 498 4590501 Bakersfield 577 478 4590545 Sheldon 565 468 4590375 Sheldon 534 442 932010015 St. Albans Town 523 433 166176984 Swanton 499 413
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4590303 Newport Town 498 412 4590291 Enosburgh 481 398 4590225 Berkshire 444 367 4590533 Enosburgh 409 338 4590453 Cambridge 396 328 4590243 Berkshire 391 324 932010376 Highgate 206 171 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied 48% to these catchments
Figure LA-3. SWAT loading estimates and areas for agricultural sources in the Missisquoi Bay basin HUC12 watersheds (4 separate graphics).
Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Pasture Continuous Hay Rock River Rock Corn-Hay Rotation Continuous Corn Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Pasture Continuous Corn Continuous Hay Goodsell Brook- Missisquoi River Corn-Hay Rotation Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Continuous Corn Pasture
Black Creek Continuous Hay Corn-Hay Rotation
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
TP (kg/yr) Area (ha)
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Figure LA-3. continued
Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Continuous Corn
River Pasture Continuous Hay
Lucas Brook-Missisquoi Corn-Hay Rotation Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Pasture Continuous Corn Mud Creek Continuous Hay Corn-Hay Rotation Farmstead (Med/Large) Farmstead (Small) Continuous Corn Pasture Pike River Continuous Hay Corn-Hay Rotation
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
TP (kg/yr) Area (ha)
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Figure LA-3. continued
Farmstead (Small)
Continuous Corn
Pasture
Continuous Hay Missisquoi River
Mineral Spring Brook- Corn-Hay Rotation
Farmstead (Med/Large)
Farmstead (Small)
Continuous Corn
Pasture Tyler Branch Corn-Hay Rotation
Continuous Hay
Farmstead (Med/Large)
Farmstead (Small)
Continuous Corn
Pasture
Continuous Hay
Headwaters Black Creek Corn-Hay Rotation
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
TP (kg/yr) Area (ha)
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Figure LA-3. continued
Continuous Corn
Farmstead (Small)
Pasture
Dead Creek Corn-Hay Rotation
Continuous Hay
Farmstead (Med/Large)
Farmstead (Small)
Pasture
Continuous Hay
Hungerford Brook Continuous Corn
Corn-Hay Rotation
Farmstead (Small)
Continuous Corn
Pasture River Continuous Hay
Jay Branch-Missisquoi Jay Corn-Hay Rotation
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
TP (kg/yr) Area (ha)
Figure LA-3. continued
Table LA-4. TP reduction efficiencies associated with BMPs as represented in the SWAT-based Scenario Tool
BMP Type Minimum Maximum Average Efficiency % % % Source Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency Barnyard Management 80.00 80.00 80.00 Literature Change in crop rotation 19.49 28.11 25.26 SWAT Conservation tillage 10.00 50.00 27.50 SWAT Cover crop 25.00 30.00 28.33 SWAT Crop to Hay 0.00 80.00 64.17 SWAT Ditch buffer 51.00 51.00 51.00 Literature
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Fencing/livestock exclusion without 55.00 55.00 55.00 SWAT riparian buffer Fencing/livestock exclusion with 73.45 73.45 73.45 SWAT riparian buffer Grassed Waterways 20.00 68.20 38.95 SWAT Reduced P manure 0.30 17.79 4.95 SWAT Riparian buffer 41.00 41.00 41.00 SWAT
Table LA-5 will show all RAPs and discuss RAP equivalents to the above BMPs, and discuss other nutrient control requirements not represented here.
Table LA-5. BMPs associated with Required Agricultural Practice and best corresponding BMP presented in Scenario Tool.
Required Agricultural Practice Corresponding BMPs Nutrient Management Plan Development and Implementation (Reduced P Manure?) – for Certified Small Farm Operations Increase in Riparian Buffer (non-forested) on streams from 10-25ft for Small Farms. Ditch buffers on all farms (0-10ft) Cover crops on frequently flooded soils Reduced manure application timing on frequently flooded fields Increase in riparian buffer from 25ft-100ft on all annual cropland that has an average slope greater than or equal to 10% (not sure how this fits into the TMDL tracking). For small farms they will be going from 10’- 100’. Gully stabilization on all farm fields (most commonly addressed through grassed waterways) Increased setbacks for construction of waste storage facilities from surface water (50’ to 200’) Increase setbacks for unimproved stacking of ag wastes from surface water (100’ to 200’) Cut erosion rates in ½ on small farms Livestock exclusion from production areas Partial livestock exclusion in pastures
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Wasteload Allocation
In this section, a description of the applicable agricultural phosphorus runoff control regulations will be provided Table WLA-1. In this instance, the only separable- applicable regulatory program is the NPDES Confined Animal Feeding Operation permit. As this program at present does not provide coverage for any Vermont facilities, the tabular representation will provide information regarding the numbers of farms, CAFO, LFO/MFO, Small, or RAP- subjurisdictional.
Table WLA-1. Summary of Agricultural phosphorus loads and target reductions from production areas.
This table will be provided by AAFM
Table WLA-2. SWAT estimated farmstead loading for the Missisquoi Bay basin HUC12s (all estimates are kg/yr.)
HUC 12 Name Farmstead Farmstead Total Overall 80% (Med/Large) (Small) TMDL Reduction Headwater Missisquoi 0 8 8 7 River Snider Brook-Missisquoi 0 17 17 14 River Mineral Spring Brook- 0 57 57 46 Missisquoi River Mud Creek 43 80 123 98 Jay Branch-Missisquoi 0 42 42 34 River Leavit Brook-Riviere 0 3 3 2 Missisquoi Riviere Sutton 10 2 13 10 Lucas Brook-Missisquoi 36 56 92 73 River Headwaters Trout River 0 8 8 6 Trout River 0 23 23 18 Tyler Branch 38 80 117 94 Goodsell Brook- 45 166 211 169 Missisquoi River Headwaters Black Creek 1 86 87 70 Dead Creek 0 38 38 30 Black Creek 108 112 220 176
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McGowan Brook- 23 20 43 35 Missisquoi River Hungerford Brook 40 42 81 65 Outlet Missisquoi River 0 5 5 4 Pike River 10 40 50 40 Ruiss Coslett-Riviere Aux 0 6 6 4 Brochets Rock River 13 32 45 36 Carman Brook- 7 24 31 25 Missisquoi Bay Total 1318 1055
Controlling Phosphorus from Developed Lands
In the Lake Champlain TMDLs, all permissible developed land phosphorus loads are considered part of the wasteload allocation. As such, this section describes the four regulatory programs identified to address phosphorus and other impairment pollutant discharges from developed lands. They are the: Transportation Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (TS4); Municipal Roads General Permit; Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit; and, the so-called Operational Three-acre Impervious Surface Permit.
As a generalized summary, Table WLA-3 indicates which regulatory program applies to which jurisdiction and the estimated modeled load for that jurisdiction where it is able to be determined.
Table WLA-3. Total Load and the Regulatory Programs applicable in each jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Load Applicable Regulatory Program to address Phosphorus reduction TS4 MRGP MS4 Three-acre target designation (%)
VTrans/State 34.2% highways
All non-MS4 municipaliti es
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Prior to discussing the permitting regulatory authorities and their specific areas of application, modeled loading across the entire basin can be visualized in Figure WLA-1. This map represents estimated annual phosphorus loading at the catchment scale with municipal boundaries overlain. This estimate includes loading from all areas of developed lands including roads and low and high density development. These areas are further described in the following Table WLA-4, whereby the top 20 TP loading catchments are presented. The last column shows the amount of TP reduced if the basin-wide developed lands TMDL allocation of 34.2% were applied to each of these catchments. Summarized at the bottom is the percentage, 37%, of total TP reduction identified in the TMDL that could be realized if the developed lands TMDL reduction of 34.2% were applied. In other words, if the basin-wide TMDL allocation of 34.2% reduction were applied to just these high exporting catchments, 37% of the total necessary reduction would be realized.
Figure WLA-1. Total developed land load from all sources in the Missisquoi Bay basin, at the catchment scale. HUC 12 basins are shown by bolded lines.
Table WLA-4. Catchments with the highest estimated TP developed lands export. Catchments are associated with individual towns if the majority of the area of that catchment occurs within a given town boundary.
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Catchment ID Town Name Developed Lands Developed lands TP Load (kg/yr) TP reduction (34.2%) based on overall TMDL basin allocation (kg/yr) 166176984 Swanton 1113 381 4590883 Swanton 862 295 4590503 Fairfield 697 238 4590501 Bakersfield 515 176 932010015 St. Albans Town 506 173 4590875 Highgate 450 154 4590475 Jay 410 140 4590453 Cambridge 402 138 932010376 Highgate 372 127 4590479 Enosburgh 348 119 4590533 Enosburgh 341 116 4590375 Sheldon 329 112 4590331 Newport Town 289 99 4590345 Westfield 273 93 4590445 Bakersfield 263 90 4590269 Franklin 259 89 4590215 Richford 248 85 4590395 Fairfield 240 82 4590419 Montgomery 230 79 4590273 Berkshire 224 77 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied 37% to these catchments
Phosphorus Loading from Roads
Currently, TP loading estimates for roads only exist from the SWAT model which distinguishes only between paved and unpaved roads. Unfortunately, two of the primary phosphorus reduction regulatory programs related to roads, the MRGP and the TS4, are defined by more narrow parameters than just paved and unpaved. For example, the MRGP will apply to municipally managed roads, and require applicable practices to be applied to all roads that are “hydrologically-connected” to waterbodies, while the TS4 permit will only apply to state-managed roads.
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Derived directly from the SWAT loading estimates, Figure WLA-2 identifies the range of catchment TP loading from roads, both paved and unpaved, across the Missisquoi Bay basin. A further breakdown of loading estimates is presented in Tables WLA-5 and WLA-6 whereby the top twenty highest roads loading catchments, paved and unpaved, are shown respectively along with the overall basin TP reduction necessary to comply with the developed lands allocation of 34.2%. If this overall 34.2% reduction were achieved for all these catchments, approximately 36% and 43% of the roads allocation for paved and unpaved roads respectively could be realized. However, for each catchment or municipality these are not actual allocations but rather opportunities. Actual reductions will be accounted for as the essential roads permits are implemented.
Figure WLA-2. Estimated SWAT loading from all paved and unpaved roads in the Missisquoi Bay basin at the catchment scale. Bolded lines represent the HUC12 watersheds.
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Table WLA-5. Catchments with the highest estimated TP export from paved roads.
Catchment ID Town Name Paved TP Load Paved TP Reduction (kg/yr) (kg/yr) 166176984 Swanton 203 69 4590883 Swanton 154 53 4590503 Fairfield 151 52 4590475 Jay 121 41 4590501 Bakersfield 112 38 4590453 Cambridge 108 37 932010015 St. Albans Town 87 30 4590331 Newport Town 75 26 4590419 Montgomery 74 25 4590875 Highgate 74 25 4590345 Westfield 65 22 932010376 Highgate 61 21 4590445 Bakersfield 59 20 4590395 Fairfield 56 19 4590479 Enosburgh 54 18 4590375 Sheldon 50 17 4590405 Lowell 47 16 4590533 Enosburgh 47 16 4590519 Franklin 46 16 4590303 Newport Town 45 15 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied to 36% these catchments
Table WLA-6. Catchments with the highest estimated TP export from unpaved roads.
Catchment ID Town Name Unpaved TP Load Unpaved TP (kg/yr) Reduction (kg/yr) 4590501 Bakersfield 80 27 4590503 Fairfield 70 24 4590445 Bakersfield 64 22 4590453 Cambridge 53 18 932010015 St. Albans Town 43 15 4590395 Fairfield 43 15 4590419 Montgomery 42 14 4590331 Newport Town 38 13 4590447 Fairfield 36 12 4590421 Bakersfield 30 10 4590475 Jay 28 10
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4590479 Enosburgh 26 9 4590385 Enosburgh 25 8 932010376 Highgate 24 8 4590283 Berkshire 21 7 4590423 Fairfield 21 7 4590329 Newport Town 19 7 4590297 Enosburgh 19 7 4590397 Fairfield 19 6 4590375 Sheldon 18 6 Percent of total TP reduction if sector allocations are applied 43% to these catchments
In order to derive more detailed loading source estimates than those given above, it was necessary to apply a secondary analysis to the initial SWAT loading estimates. To further break down the SWAT loading data for paved and unpaved roads, the extent of VTrans-managed and municipal-managed paved roads was derived from a more detailed GIS analysis than that used in the model. Through this analysis, the estimated load was apportioned at a somewhat finer level. Although, when combining the separate data sources to estimate loads, there are unavoidable inconsistencies that become apparent. For example, there is not an exact fit between the input roads data for the two methods and therefore results don’t necessarily align. At this time and with the tools available, these issues are inherent in the analysis. However, it’s believed that they provide good planning level information when considered across the entire basin.
State Managed Roads (Transportation Separate Storm Sewer System General Permit – TS4)
The TS4 is a new stormwater permit for all of VTrans owned and controlled infrastructure. As part of the permit, VTrans will develop comprehensive Phosphorus Control Plans (PCPs) for their developed land in each lake segment. This includes state roads, garages, park and rides, welcome centers, airports and sand and gravel operations. The plans will require inventories of all regulated surfaces, establishment of baseline phosphorus loading per lake segment, and a prioritized schedule for implementation of BMPs to achieve the lake segment percent phosphorus reductions.
To begin this assessment, DEC estimated the miles of state roads per HUC12 in the Missisquoi Bay basin, given in Figure WLA-3 and which is also reflected in Table WLA- 7. In order to provide some estimate of the overall basin loading at the bottom of the table, the hybrid analysis mentioned above was utilized with all the inherent
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inconsistencies. The noted load and estimated reduction provide a reasonable planning level loading estimate. As the TS4 permit evolves, VTrans will further delineate the number, location, and condition of drainage from state roads along with other non-road infrastructure.
Figure WLA-3. Estimated mileage of state-managed roads summarized by HUC12 in the Missisquoi Bay basin.
Table WLA-7. Estimated miles for State-managed highways (does not include other VTrans owned and controlled infrastructure)
HUC12 River Name State managed road miles 41504070101 Headwater Missisquoi River 7.2 41504070102 Snider Brook-Missisquoi River 4.9 41504070103 Mineral Spring Brook-Missisquoi River 6.5 41504070104 Mud Creek 12.2 41504070105 Jay Branch-Missisquoi River 21.3 41504070202 Leavit Brook-Riviere Missisquoi 0.1 41504070204 Lucas Brook-Missisquoi River 15.6 41504070301 Headwaters Trout River 15.3 41504070302 Trout River 3.9 41504070401 Tyler Branch 7.4
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41504070402 Goodsell Brook-Missisquoi River 20.9 41504070501 Headwaters Black Creek 15.7 41504070502 Dead Creek 4.1 41504070503 Black Creek 3.0 41504070601 McGowan Brook-Missisquoi River 11.1 41504070602 Hungerford Brook 15.4 41504070603 Outlet Missisquoi River 20.4 41504081001 Pike River 15.6 41504081004 Ruiss Coslett-Riviere Aux Brochets 3.4 41504081101 Rock River 5.6 41504081102 Carman Brook-Missisquoi Bay 18.2 41504070101 Headwater Missisquoi River 7.2 Total miles VTrans managed roads 228 Total estimated P load from VTrans managed roads 1986 Total estimated reduction 679
Municipally Managed Roads (Municipal Roads General Permit)
The Municipal Roads General Permit is a new stormwater permit for all Vermont cities and towns that is intended to achieve significant reductions in stormwater-related erosion from municipal roads, both paved and unpaved. The permit will require each municipality to develop a road stormwater management plan to bring road drainage systems up to basic maintenance standards to stabilize conveyances and reduce erosion. The road management plan will require an inventory of municipal roads and current conditions, an identification of potential road best management practices (BMPs), and a prioritized implementation schedule to achieve the road standards. Implementation of the Municipal Roads General Permit by each municipality is estimated to achieve the 34.2% reduction of TP from the developed lands within the municipality.
The following maps and tables were developed to assist municipalities in setting priorities through the road management planning process. In order to break some of the basin roads loading data down to a town scale, the sum of loading from the catchments within that town needs to be calculated. Figure WLA-4 shows the primary watershed catchments within each town. For these calculations, a given catchment is associated to any given town if the majority of that catchment falls within that town. While not a perfect fit, it does provide a reasonable estimate of the modeled TP load for any given municipality. Based on this association of catchments related to towns, DEC was able to estimate the TP load coming from both paved and unpaved roads in each of the towns, shown in Table WLA-8. As towns implement road management plans and
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stabilize road networks, DEC will be able to use this data to estimate the reductions in TP loading and confirm progress in meeting the Lake Champlain TMDL.
Figure WLA-4. Association of catchments to towns in the Missisquoi Bay Basin.
Table WLA-8. SWAT loading for all non-VTrans managed roads occurring in each municipality (non-MS4)
Town Paved Unpaved Town Paved Unpaved Roads Roads Roads Roads (kg/yr) (kg/yr) (kg/yr) (kg/yr) Bakersfield 332.5 263.4 Jay 249.5 70.1 Belvidere ------Lowell 316.6 67.4 Berkshire 291.5 144.4 Montgomery 302.7 119.3 Cambridge 108.4 53.3 Newport 256.2 104.4 Town Eden 4.7 --- Richford 280.3 81.0 Enosburgh 357.8 177.4 Sheldon 240.9 56.7 Fairfax 0.1 --- St. Albans 87.1 43.5 Town Fairfield 398.4 232.5 Swanton 398.6 27.0 Fletcher 11.0 10.6 Troy 210.2 58.1 Franklin 247.8 59.4 Westfield 196.7 43.9 Highgate 402.9 66.4
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Total loading from all roads (kg/yr) 6374 Total reduction based on overall 2180 basin allocation of 34.2% reduction (kg/yr)
DEC developed remote sensing information for municipalities to initially identify hydrologically-connected road segments that have the potential to be at risk of erosion and may be a source of sediment and phosphorus pollution to surface waters. This estimated mileage, along with more detailed town maps, will help municipalities establish initial town road inventories and prioritize improvements. Results of this analysis are given in Table WLA-9. It should be noted that mileages are given for the entirety of each town, whether or not the whole town or just a part of it is in the basin.
Table WLA-9. Estimated mileage of hydrologically connected municipal road miles by town. These do not include state managed or private roads.
Town Hydrologically- Town Hydrologically- connected municipal connected municipal road miles roads mile
Bakersfield 23.5 Jay 9.6
Belvidere 7.3 Lowell 21.3
Berkshire 18.7 Montgomery 21.6
Cambridge 30.4 Newport 17.3 Town
Eden 13.6 Richford 16.2
Enosburgh 30.4 Sheldon 19.0
Fairfax 22.0 St. Albans 19.9 Town
Fairfield 40.0 Swanton 25.5
Fletcher 21.7 Troy 19.1
Franklin 16.7 Westfield 8.9
Highgate 23.2
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Municipally-Separated Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)
The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit is a permit for municipalities with census designated urbanized areas and stormwater impaired watersheds. Under the MS4 permit, those designated municipalities will be required to develop a comprehensive phosphorus control plans (PCP) to achieve the percent phosphorus reduction for their respective lake segment, on all developed land within the municipality. These municipalities will not need separate permit coverage under the Municipal Road Permit or the “3-acre designation,” as these requirements will be incorporated into the phosphorus control planning within the municipality. The PCPs will include requirements to inventory all developed land within the municipality, estimate phosphorus loading from developed land, and identify BMPs and an implementation schedule to achieve the required reductions.
However, at this time there are no designated MS4 communities in the Missisquoi Bay basin.
Operational three-acre permit program.
The Stormwater Program will issue a general permit by January 2018 that will include a schedule by which owners of three or more acres of impervious surface will need to obtain permit coverage. Following issuance of the general permit, the Program will identify and notify affected owners. An impervious surface will require coverage under the three-acre permit if the impervious is not covered under a permit that incorporates the requirements of the 2002 Vermont Stormwater Management Manual (VSMM).
It is anticipated that the “three-acre impervious surface” program will address the developed lands phosphorus reductions necessary to achieve the TMDL that are not addressed by other developed lands programs. Ongoing tracking of implementation will be used to verify this projection. If additional reductions in phosphorus are required to implement the TMDL, developed lands permitting requirements may be adjusted accordingly, including requiring projects with less than three acres of impervious surface to obtain permit coverage
An initial estimate of parcels containing three or more acres of impervious was completed by TetraTech, Inc. with funding from EPA (Table WLA-10).
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Table WLA-10. Estimated three-acre parcels and associated impervious cover for Missisquoi Bay basin towns.
Town Parcels Impervious (#) (acres) Eden 1 0.1 Highgate 8 75.5 Jay 4 74.0 Lowell 2 22.0 Montgomery 2 15.8 Richford 4 25.6 Swanton 8 38.1 Troy 1 3.6 Total 30 254.7
The initial estimate of the three-acre parcel coverage will require additional screening by DEC prior to notification of the affected parties. The analysis does not yet identify which impervious surfaces have permit coverage that incorporates the requirements of the 2002 VSMM. DEC will also identify eligible impervious surfaces from existing permits that were not identified in the TetraTech analysis because the impervious surface is located on more than one parcel.
Controlling Phosphorus from Wastewater Treatment Facilities and Other Industrial Discharges
This section of the Phase II statement in each Tactical Basin Plan is intended to provide additional information to readers regarding wastewater treatment facilities in the Lake Champlain Basin. With the exception of publishing the new TMDL-allocated wasteload load and percent of current design flows, this table is unchanged from those contained in Tactical Basin Plans for many years. Information is also provided that describes any planned upgrades contemplated for each facility.
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Table WLA-11. Summary of permit requirements for the wastewater treatment facilities in the Missisquoi Bay lake segment watershed.la
WWTF date expiration Permit issuance year permit re Planned MGD Design IWC* Current TMDL 2015 Avg type Treatment Number of water Receiving
Facility permit-ed WLA Flow
7Q10
(permit flow /LMM load (mt (mt (MGD) /
ID) - P/yr) P/yr) Percent of Design Flow Rock-Tenn 12/31/13 2017 2.500 0.052/ 1.260 0.691 0.196 / 8% Aerated 0 Missis- (Sheldon) NA lagoon quoi (3-1118) River Sheldon 6/30/12 2017 0.054 0.003/ 0.373 0.373 0.016/ Extended 0 Missis- Springs 0.001 30% aeration quoi (3-1108) River Swanton 12/31/08 2017 0.900 0.015/ 0.746 0.249 0.474/ Aerated 0 Missis- Village 0.004 53% lagoon quoi (3-1292) River Enosburg 3/31/13 2017 0.450 0.010/ 0.373 0.124 0.277/ Extended 1 Missis- (3-1234) 0.003 62% aeration quoi River Richford 6/30/14 2017 0.380 0.010/ 0.42 0.105 0.330/ Aerated 2 Missis- (3-1147) 0.003 87% lagoon quoi River North Troy 9/30/13 2017 0.110 0.008/ 0.760 0.122 0.070 / Extended 0 Missis- (3-1139) 0.003 64% aeration quoi River Troy/Jay 9/30/14 2017 0.800 0.018/ 0.221 0.221 0.088/ Sequentia 0 Missis- (3-1311) 0.006 11% l batch quoi reactor River Newport 3/31/09 2017 0.042 NEED 0.006 0.116 0.022/ Sand 0 Mud Town THIS 51% filtration Creek (3-1236) and GW infiltratio n 1 Instream Waste Concentration – or the proportion of river flow at lowest base (7Q10) and low median monthly (LMM) flow attributable to discharge, for the facility design flow. Note that the IWC is specific to the flow of receiving water.
2 Million Gallons per Day
Facility-specific information
Rock-Tenn
The Rock-Tenn facility is engaged in the production of recycled boxboard using corrugated and non-corrugated furnishes. The discharges are treated process wastewater combined from paper process wastes and miscellaneous cooling waters.
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The wastewater treatment system includes a 120 foot diameter primary clarifier and a 20 million gallon aerated lagoon which has an area dedicated to settling.
Sheldon Springs WWTF
The Sheldon Springs WWTF is an extended aeration plant which provides secondary treatment of domestic wastewater. Disinfection is completed by the addition of chlorine. There are no CSOs associated with this facility.
Swanton Village WWTF
The Swanton Village WWTF consists of two partially aerated facultative lagoons followed by phosphorus removal in two solids contact clarifiers. Disinfection is accomplished by ultraviolet light. A CSO elimination/combined sewer separation project was completed in the 1990’s resulting in no known sewer overflow points in the collection system.
Enosburgh WWTF
The Village of Enosburg Falls owns and operates this WWTF which is an extended aeration/activated sludge treatment system servicing the Village of Enosburg Falls. The facility discharges secondary treated, chlorinated/dechlorinated wastewater. There is one CSO discharge at the Route 108 Bridge. In December 2011, Enosburgh installed an offline emergency tank, upgraded the headworks and added a second chlorine contact chamber at the WWTF to handle the high flows. According to an Effectiveness Study conducted in 2012/13, the improvements are working as intended and have prevented overflows.
Richford WWTF
The Richford WWTF utilizes the aerated lagoon process of biological treatment to achieve secondary treatment of domestic wastewater via two lagoons. Total phosphorus removal is achieved through chemical treatment using alum. Disinfection is achieved through chlorination/dechlorination. There are two documented CSOs associated with the collection system – Playground pump station and River Street.
Newport Town WWTF
The Newport Town WWTF consists primarily of a 60,000 gallon septic tank where the treatment process is initiated. From the septic tank, effluent flows to the effluent filter tank and then the dosing siphon tank. In the dosing tank, effluent is stored until a specified volume is reached whereby it is then released to one of two sand filters.
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Within the sand filter beds is where the final effluent treatment is performed prior to distribution to the disposal fields. Ultimately, effluent is released to the groundwater and in turn Mud Creek.
North Troy WWTF
The North Troy WWTF utilizes an extended aeration process which is a modification of the conventional activated sludge treatment process and chlorine is used for disinfection. The treated sludge is pumped to drying beds and eventually the dried solids are landfilled. There are no CSOs associated with this facility.
Troy/Jay WWTF
The Troy/Jay Wastewater Treatment Facility replaced its four aerated lagoons with a new facility that started up on May 14, 2012. The new WWTF generally consists of headworks with a mechanical fine screen and aerated grit chamber, two Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs) with a fine bubble aeration system, chemical precipitation with polyaluminum chloride for total phosphorus removal, and an ultraviolet light disinfection system. The sludge handling consists of an aerated sludge storage lagoon with a new mixer, centrifuge, and solar greenhouse with two robotic tillers for sludge dewatering/drying.
Summary of Phase II Plan for the Missisquoi Basin
The information provided in the foregoing provides the best-available information regarding the locations of the Missisquoi Bay Basin where phosphorus loading is modeled to be greatest. This information is provided by source sector, and tied to the regulatory programs that are highlighted by Act 64 to compel phosphorus pollution reductions for each sector. An important consideration in the development of this modeling analysis is the pace at which the expected reductions may be achieved from any given sector. Generally, the Lake Champlain TMDL is envisioned to be implemented over a 20-year timeframe. Figure A-4 provides a hypothetical representation of the pace at which nutrient reductions may be achieved, informed by the timelines during which each regulatory program is being put into place.
The capability for the State to compel reductions in the first five-year iteration of this tactical plan cycle is limited by the timelines set forth by Act 64 for the establishment and re-promulgation of the permit programs. In other words, the State cannot compel, for example, the reduction of phosphorus from specific municipal road segments, until:
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1) that permit program has been established; 2) the municipality has applied for coverage under that program; and, 3) the municipality has completed their road assessment, and staged a plan for implementation based on the most effective phosphorus reduction efforts. Figure A-4 provides the timelines for permit promulgation, permit application and assessment/inspection, and implementation. These timelines do not, however, preclude any particular landowner or municipality from taking action sooner on specific projects, and many owners or municipalities have done so.
As has been described in this chapter, a robust phosphorus reduction tracking approach is also being put into place to document implementation of on-the-ground practices and projects. It is through this tracking system that the real phosphorus reduction accomplishments will be documented over time, and reported publicly, as required by Act 64. As of this writing, the modeling and projected phosphorus reductions shown by this chapter are the best information available to Vermonters, but remain a starting point. Future iterations of the Missisquoi Bay Tactical Basin Plan will provide augmented specificity in regards to phosphorus reductions achieved, reductions planned, and as appropriate, success stories documenting incremental water quality improvement.
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Figure A-4. Theoretical phosphorus reduction, relative to the load and wasteload reductions required by the Lake Champlain TMDL. The timelines for regulatory programs are also shown.
Vermont Statewide TMDL for Bacteria-Impaired Waters
Twenty-one of Vermont’s waters are impaired at least in part due to bacterial contamination; 3 of those are located in Basin 6 and include:
• A 2.6 mile reach of Berry Brook, • a 4.4 mile reach of Godin Brook and • a 4.5 mile reach of Samsonville Brook
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These waters fail to meet the Vermont Water Quality Standards for biological criteria.
A Vermont Statewide TMDL Report21 was designed to support bacteria pollution reduction and watershed restoration throughout Vermont. The TMDL, which established bacterial load targets for each impaired waterbody, was completed in September 2011. The report’s appendices include specific data monitoring and watershed information about each of the impaired waterbodies.
Agricultural land represents a significant portion of the watershed area of the three Basin 6 streams with dairy production as the predominant activity. The TMDL report supports the implementation of the following actions to allow the streams to meet their targeted bacterial loads. The actions, which are included in the Chapter 5 Implementaiton Table, include:
• Improve NMP and other land treatments that reduce runoff of animal waste into streams. • convert grazing land in the riparian area into permanent livestock exclusion areas is recommended. • Finally, the bacterial concentrations of each stream will need monitoring to show improvements.
Flood Resilience Efforts
As part of its effort to address climate change, the Agency is working with communities to enhance their flood resilience. Working towards resilience means both proactively reducing vulnerabilities to flooding and flood damage, and improving response and recovery efforts when flood events do occur, so that communities bounce back quickly from natural resource, social and economic impacts. Reducing vulnerabilities includes efforts to diffuse stormwater flows from buildings, over roads, especially in areas with slope and erodible material.
The importance of flood resilience was highlighted in the aftermath of tropical storm Irene and other recent flooding events across Vermont. Act 16, effective July 2014, requires municipal and regional plans to incorporate a “flood resilience” component.
21 http://wsmd.vt.gov/mapp/docs/mp_bacteriatmdl.pdf
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DEC’s efforts to help towns improving flood resilience has included mapping local flood hazard areas, identifying flood attenuation zones (including floodplains, river corridors, forests and wetlands) and recommending specific actions and policies to towns that will help protect these areas and reduce the risks facing existing development. All available information is located on DEC’s Flood Ready website.
The Northwest Regional Planning Commission and the Northern Vermont Development Association and DEC are coordinating efforts to provide education and assistance to municipalities to protect river corridors as part of their systematic efforts for both flood resilience and improved water quality (see Appendix D for each town’s status with regard to flood resilience and water quality protection actions).
Figure 8 identifies the towns in the Basin that have adopted municipal river corridor and floodplain protection bylaws to date.
All communities in Basin 6 have bylaws in place that allow them to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Two communities – Bakersfield and Troy have adopted standards to protect Special Flood Hazard Areas from new encroachments.
Because Bakersfield and Troy acted to protect flood hazard areas at a time when river corridor maps were not yet available they are recognized as providing river corridor protection based on the best available data.
Under the criteria for Vermont’s Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund (ERAF) the actions of Bakersfield and Troy are recognized as proving river corridor protection on an “interim” basis.
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Figure 9. Basin 6 municipalities with river corridor and floodplain protection bylaws. Communities with River Corridor Protections have adopted bylaws that specifically protect River Corridors. Communities with Interim Protections indicate that they acted before 2015 to protect Special Flood Hazard Areas and/or a limited Fluvial Erosion Hazard Area where River Corridor maps were not available yet.
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Chapter 4 - Management Goals for Surface Waters
The Vermont Water Quality Standards establish water quality classes and associated management objectives. The protection or improvement of water quality and water- related uses can be promoted by establishing specific management goals for particular bodies or stretches of water. The management goals describe the values and uses of the surface water that are to be protected or achieved through appropriate management. In Chapter 2 of this plan, a number of waters were identified as being notable high quality, and these, as well as other unique areas, may be candidates for establishing alternate management goals or augmented protections through one of the processes that are further described below.
• Opportunities for reclassification of waters. • Identification of existing uses • Opportunities for designation of Outstanding Resource Waters. • Classification of wetlands • Designation of waters as warm and cold water fisheries.
The Agency of Natural Resources is responsible for determining the presence of existing uses on a case-by-case basis or through basin planning, and is also responsible for classification or other designations. Once the Agency establishes a management goal, the Agency manages state lands and issues permits to achieve all management goals established for the associated surface water. Before the Agency recommends management goals through a classification or designation action, input from the public on any proposal is required and considered. The public may present a proposal for establishing management goals for Agency consideration at any time, while the Agency typically relies on the publication of basin plans to promote reclassification. When the public develops proposals regarding management goals, the increased community awareness can lead to protection of uses and values by the community and individuals.
Public involvement is an essential component to restoring and protecting river and lake ecology. The Vermont Water Quality Standards state that “Public participation shall be sought to identify and inventory problems, solutions, high quality waters, existing uses and significant resources of high public interest.” Emphasis on the identification of values and expectations for future water quality conditions can only be achieved through public contributions to the planning process.
A number of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, and wetlands in the Missisquoi Bay watershed currently achieve a very high quality of water and aquatic habitat and may also provide exceptional opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating. In addition
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to protecting and improving water resources by managing stressors, there is the opportunity to protect surface waters by identifying and documenting this high quality and preserving those conditions or features through various classifications or designations. Several statewide references and reports available with descriptions of the exceptional ecological quality or recreational uses of Vermont surface waters. The Agency’s BioFinder, provides a statewide application identifying surface water and riparian areas with a high contribution to biodiversity.
Classification, and Recent Proposed Revisions to the Vermont Water Quality Standards
Since the 1960s, Vermont has had a classification system for surface waters that establishes management goals and supporting criteria for each use in each class of water (see Table 14). These goals describe the class- specific uses of surface waters that are to be protected or restored through appropriate management practices. The Agency works to implement activities that restore, maintain or protect the management goals.
Pursuant to Act 79 of 2016, the Vermont General Assembly, recognizing the wide range of quality for Class B waters, created a new intermediary water quality class between B and A, now called Class B(1). Act 79 also sets forth the expectation that individual uses of waters (e.g., aquatic biota and wildlife, aquatic habitat, recreation, aesthetics, etc.) may be individually classified, such that a specific lake or stream may have individual uses classified at different levels. Act 79 indicates that uses may be reclassified independently to Class B(1) if the quality of those uses are demonstrably and consistently of higher quality than Class B(2).
Through the tactical planning process, surface waters where one or more uses is of consistently and demonstrably higher quality than Class B(2) are to be identified, and proposed for reclassification to Class B(1) for the use(s) in question. Basin plans may also identify surface waters that merit reclassification to Class A(1).
As of the writing of this draft Plan, the Vermont Water Quality Standards have been proposed to be amended to account for this change. The proposed new Standards feature four classes: A(1), A(2), B(1) and B(2), and have been restructured to clarify which the quality criteria pertaining to each designated use, by class.
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With the exception of the waters listed below, all waters in Basin 6 are Class B(2) for all designated uses, pursuant to the proposed new Standards.
1) Waters above 2,500 feet in elevation, are classified A(1) by Vermont statute. 2) The following surface waters are classified as A(2) and are managed to be suitable for use as a public water source with disinfection, and filtration when necessary:
• Mountain Brook and a tributary and all waters within their watersheds upstream of two separate water intakes in Jay.
• Coburn Brook and Coburn Brook Reservoir in Westfield and all waters within their watersheds upstream of the water intake in Coburn Brook.
• Unnamed tributary to the Trout River in Enosburgh and all waters within its watershed upstream of the water intake.
• Hannah Clark Brook in Montgomery and all waters in its watershed upstream of the water intake.
• Stanhope Brook in Richford and all waters in its watershed upstream of the water intake.
• Trout Brook in Berkshire and all waters within its watershed upstream of the outlet of Enosburgh Reservoir.
• Loveland Brook in Richford and all waters within its watershed upstream of the water intake.
• Black Falls Brook in Montgomery and Richford and all waters within its watershed upstream of the water intake.
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Table 14. A list of designated uses that can be individually classified into each of the water classes in the Vermont Water Quality Standards.
Classification (2016) Applicable Uses
Class A(1) One or more of Aquatic Biota and Wildlife, Aquatic Habitat, Aesthetics, Fishing, Boating, or Swimming may be classified to Class A(1) if the Secretary finds that it is in the public interest, pursuant to 10VSA1253d.
Class A(2) Public Water Source
Class B(1) One or more of Aquatic Biota and Wildlife, Aquatic Habitat, Aesthetics, Fishing, or Boating may be classified to Class B(1) when that use is demonstrably and consistently attained.
Class B(2) Aquatic Biota and Wildlife, Aquatic Habitat, Aesthetics, Fishing, Boating, Swimming, and Irrigation are all to be supported at Class B(2) for all waters in the State not presently classified to a higher class. 22
Class B(1) Proposals
The following list represents waters in which one or more uses are of demonstrably and consistently higher quality than Class B(2) waters, and so are proposed for reclassification to Class B(1).
River Town Use Substantiating Information South Branch of the Montgomery Confirm as DFW Survey, 1996 – RM 5.5 Averys Trout River Class B(1) for Gore WMA – 4,446 trout/mile, 27.5 fishing lbs/acre; current landuse which includes Avery Gore, DFW Wildlife Management Area
Existing Uses
All surface waters in Vermont are managed to support designated uses valued by the public at a level of Class B(2) or higher. These uses include swimming, boating, and fishing, aquatic biota, habitat, aesthetics, drinking water source and irrigation.
22 Class B(2) management objectives and supporting criteria are the same as with the former Class B.
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The degree of protection afforded to these uses is based on the water’s class as described in Table 14. In addition, under the anti-degradation policy of the Vermont Water Quality Standards, if the Agency of Natural Resources identifies in a waterbody, a use, the existing condition of which exceeds its classification criteria, then that use shall be protected to maintain that higher level of quality. The Agency may identify existing conditions, known as existing uses, of particular waters during the tactical basin planning process or on a case-by-case basis during application reviews for State or federal permits. Consistent with the federal Clean Water Act, the Vermont Water Quality Standards have always stipulated that existing uses may be documented in any surface water location where that use has occurred since November 28, 1975. Pursuant to the definition of the new Class B(1) in Act 79, the Agency will identify an existing use at Class B(1) levels when that use is demonstrably and consistently attained.
It is the Agency’s long-standing stipulation that all lakes and ponds in the basin have existing uses of swimming, boating and fishing. Likewise, the Agency recognizes that fishing activities in streams and rivers are widespread throughout the state and can be too numerous to document. Also recognized is that streams too small to support significant angling activity provide spawning and nursery areas, which contribute to fish stocks downstream where larger streams and rivers support a higher level of fishing activity. As such, these small tributaries are considered supporting the use of fishing and are protected at a level commensurate with downstream areas.
Based on the above paragraph, the existing uses identified by DEC for the Missisquoi Bay watershed to date should therefore be viewed as only a partial accounting of known existing uses based upon limited criteria. The list does not change protection under the Clean Water Act or Vermont Water Quality Standards for waters not listed. Appendix G presents the current list of Existing Uses determined for the Missisquoi Basin, while Table 10 identifies those surface waters where additional data will be obtained to demonstrate the consistent attainment of Class B(1) criteria for aquatic life and wildlife.
Outstanding Resource Waters
In 1987, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 67, “An Act Relating to Establishing a Comprehensive State Rivers Policy.” A part of Act 67 provides protection to rivers and streams that have “exceptional natural, cultural, recreational or scenic values” through the designation of Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). Depending on the values for
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 88 | Page which designation is sought, ORW designation may protect exceptional waters through permits for stream alteration, dams, wastewater discharges, aquatic nuisance controls, solid waste disposal, Act 250 projects and other activities.
There are currently no ORW designated waters in Basin 6. The Big Falls of the Missisquoi River at Troy is a natural candidate for ORW in consideration of spectacular aesthetic value and swimming use.
As part of the implementation of this tactical basin plan, the Department will evaluate the values of Big Falls for consistency with the features and values identified in prior ORW determinations. Surface waters that satisfy criteria for designation as ORW will be proposed for such designation through rulemaking
Class I Wetland Designation
It is policy of the State of Vermont to identify and protect significant wetlands and the values and functions they serve in such a manner that the goal of no net loss of such wetlands and their functions is achieved. Based on an evaluation of the extent to which a wetland provides functions and values it is classified at one of three levels:
Class I: Exceptional or irreplaceable in its contribution to Vermont's natural heritage and therefore, merits the highest level of protection
Class II: Merits protection, either taken alone or in conjunction with other wetlands
Class III: Neither a Class I or Class II wetland
As part of the development of this tactical basin plan, several surface waters have been identified as prospective candidates for Class I, which are presented below. These wetlands have passed a cursory review by the Vermont Wetlands Program Ecologists. In addition, there are at least three wetlands that warrant study for Class I potential. These wetlands are listed below. As part of the implementation of this tactical basin plan, the Department will develop and implement procedures and documents to enable submission, evaluation, and implementation of petitions to classify wetlands as Class I. Those wetlands that satisfy criteria for designation may be proposed for such designation through Departmental rulemaking authority, and as consistent with the Vermont Wetland Rules.
Prospective candidates in Basin 6 for reclassification to Class I status include:
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• Missisquoi Delta, including Maquam Bog in the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
Wetlands in Basin 6 that warrant further study for Class I potential include Fairfield Swamp and the Franklin Bog, Franklin.
.
Warm and Cold Water Fish Habitat designations
The following waters are designated as warm water fish habitat for purposes of the Vermont water quality standards along with the following ponds:
• Lake Carmi, Franklin • Cutler Pond, Highgate • Rock River from the Canadian boundary to its confluence with Lake Champlain • Metcalf Pond, Fletcher • Fairfield Pond, Fairfield • Fairfield Swamp Pond, Fairfield • Missisquoi River from the outfall of the Enosburgh Falls wastewater treatment facility to the Swanton Dam, Swanton
No changes to warm water fish or cold-water habitat designations are proposed by this plan.
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Chapter 5- The Implementation Table: Protection and Remediation Actions
Implementation Table
The Tactical Basin Plan addresses all impaired, stressed and altered waters (Table 3) in the basin as well as protection needs for high quality waters; however, the focus of the plan is the identification of specific priority actions to reduce nutrient and sediment loading in priority subbasins as part of the effort to meet the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL goals. The list of actions cover future assessment and monitoring needs (Table 10.), as well as implementation projects that protect or remediate waters.
Action items are supported by the objectives in the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase I Implementation Plan as well as the Statewide Surface Water Management Strategy. The actions are located in the online implementation table database and summarized in Table 15 and 16.
The objectives and strategies specific to the plan are identified in Table 15. A summary (Table 16) of the online implementation table database is intended to present a broad view of the over 600 individual project entries in the database. DEC and its partners will proceed to make progress in all areas of the summary table.
The process for identifying priority actions were the result of a comprehensive compilation and review of both internal ANR monitoring and assessment data and reports, and those of our watershed partner organizations (see Chapter 2). The monitoring and assessment reports include, but are not limited to, stormwater mapping reports, geomorphic assessments, river corridor plans, bridge and culvert assessments, Hazard Mitigation Plans, agricultural modeling and assessments, road erosion inventories, TMDL reports, biological and chemical monitoring, lake assessments, fisheries assessments, and natural communities and biological diversity mapping.
The online implementation database, the Summary of the Implementation Table (Table 16), along with Appendix A are resources to Basin 6 stakeholders in their efforts to pursue and secure technical and financial support for implementation of high priority projects. Together, these resources include location information, project description, the source of the project if an assessment supports the project, any partners that may have expressed interest in implementing the project, and potential funding sources. The database allows for the addition of new actions as DEC identifies them with the assistance of partners. It is envisioned that the action items currently in the database as
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Table 15. Objectives of Tactical Basin Plan to meet goals for the plan.
Plan Objectives Focus Areas (not to Strategies exclude work in other areas) Implement Rock, Pike, Complete surveys of farm needs; Increase agricultural BMPs Hungerford Brook, USDA funds through RCPP grant; provide Black Creek and Mud case managers to operators to assist with Creek applications; provide modeling analysis to identify most effective BMP Manage Enosburgh, Fairfield, Identify projects through Stormwater stormwater Franklin, Highgate, Master Plan Assessments, Road Erosion Sheldon, and Swanton Inventories Protection and Upper Missisquoi, Corridor protection remediation river Trout, Black and Tyler Riparian buffer/ corridors Branch Floodplain restoration, dam removal Remediate Fairfield and Upper Promote programs that protect riparian logging roads and Missisquoi and Trout forests, identify old logging roads and landings River watersheds landings for remediation with high erosion potential. Restore wetland Rock, Pike and Work with TNC and USFWS to identify and and floodplains Hungerford restore candidates Identify and Cutler Pond Continue to collect monitoring data to Protect High Little Pond confirm as high quality lakes. Quality Lakes McCallister Pond Reduce the spread All waterbodies Provide education and outreach to boaters of Aquatic to reduce spread; provide technical and Invasive Species financial resources to assist with spread. Increase See Table 10 Support watershed groups knowledge of water quality conditions in the basin
It is DEC’s goal to prioritize staff time and direct internal and external grant funding opportunities towards the recommended Actions. These Actions include all water media within the basin and all the spectrums of land use that could potentially impact water
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Table 16. Summary of Implementation Table: The objectivess (yellow)and strategies supporting priority actions in Basin 6. The on-going detailed list of actions can be viewed via the online implementation table database.
Year of Start /End Priority Subbasin Priority Towns Strategies Source Stressor addressed Partners23 Funding
AGRICULTURE: Implement BMPs Expand small farm NMP development courses and workshops, Nutrients, pathogen trainings for farmers, manure applicators and technical service VACD, UVM Missisquoi Bay providers TMDL Phase I extension Increase inspections in critical watersheds: Finalize reporting Land erosion, 2015/2016 of North Lake Farm Survey (NLFS) in Missisquoi Bay watersheds nutrients, pathogens Missisquoi Bay and target implementation based upon the results TMDL Phase I AAFM, FNLC Increase implementation in critical watersheds: 1.Provide Land erosion, Pike, Rock Rivers farms with access to case managers to help increase nutrients, pathogens and Mud Creek and farms identified in participation in State and federal financial and technical Northern Lake Farm assistance programs; 2 provide modeling analyses as needed to Survey (NLFS) identify most effective BMPs TMDL Phase I AAFM, DEC RCPP24, USDA Pike, Rock, Mud Increase technical assistance in critical watersheds: Hire FNLC TMDL Phase I Land erosion, RCPP, USDA Creek and farms technical staff to work with farms to meet RAP and higher nutrients, pathogens identified in NLFS BMPs based on Northern Farm survey; and other partners as needed for Mud Creek Missisquoi Bay Develop and pilot the Environmental Stewardship Program to TMDL Phase I Land erosion, RCPP, USDA incentivize additional practice adoption 2016 2020 nutrients, pathogens Create grassed waterways program Target funding to critical TMDL Phase I Land erosion, RCPP, USDA MIssisquoi Bay source areas in coordination with partners nutrients, pathogens STORMWATER: reduce pollutants and volume Provide technical assistance on stormwater master planning Land Erosion, to identify and prioritize actions Channel erosion, DEC, NRPC, Mid Missisquoi, Richford TMDL Phase I pathogens FNLC CWIP
23 See Appendix A for additional description of partners 24 See Appendix E for State and federal funding sources DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 94 | Page
Year of Start /End Priority Subbasin Priority Towns Strategies Source Stressor addressed Partners23 Funding
Enosburgh, Fairfield, Franklin, Highgate, Support implementation of completed stormwater master Sheldon, plans DEC, NRPC, Multiple Swanton TMDL Phase I FNLC CWIP Lowel, Troy, Westfield, Jay, Montgomery, Bakersfield Berkshire Enosburgh Enosburg Falls Help municipalities control runoff from gravel and paved Fairfield, roads: implement road assessment protocol to assist with Highgate Upper Missisquoi, Richford, prioritization; provide technical and financial resources to NRPC, NVDA, Trout (West Hill Franklin and assist with implementation; implement Municipal Roads VTrans, DEC, Brook) Swanton General Permit TMDL Phase I Land Erosion Municipalities CWIP Municipality, Towns with Support municipal stormwater regulation NRPC, NVDA, Stormwater adoption, include incorporation of LID and GSI practices; Land erosion, DEC, UVM Sea master plan Implement “Three-acre” permit. DEC nutrients, pathogens Grant CWIP RIVER CORRIDOR: reach stream equilibrium and flood resilience Sheldon, Channel erosion, Hungerford, Mid- Enosburgh, Increase the number of river and floodplain restoration flood resilience Missisquoi Berkshire projects Re-establish connections to floodplains TMDL Phase I DEC, TNC CWIP Channel erosion, federal hazard Replace geomorphologically incompatible culvert and bridges: flood resilience mitigation funds, Montgomery, RPCs work with towns to identify, add to capital budget, seek municipalities, Municipalities, Upper Missisquoi Orleans County additional funding sources DEC RPC, Vtrans, VTrans Trout, Upper Franklin and Increase River Conservation Easements: support projects Channel erosion, Missisquoi, Tyler Orleans which incorporate channel management and riparian buffer flood resilience and Black Creek Counties provisions TMDL Phase I DEC CWIP Franklin and Enhance the Flood Resilient Communities Program Channel erosion, Upper Missisquoi, Orleans with funding and technical assistance incentives flood resilience DEC, NRPC, Trout, Tyler Branch Counties for municipalities TMDL Phase I NVDA CWIP
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Year of Start /End Priority Subbasin Priority Towns Strategies Source Stressor addressed Partners23 Funding
Support studies to investigate benefits of removal of dams Channel erosion, CWIP, LCBP, All All listed in Table 9 DEC encroachment DEC Watershed Grant FOREST MANAGEMENT: Abate Soil Erosion Develop LiDAR mapping to map eroding, abandoned and Land erosion retired forest roads, skid trails and log landings to assist in DEC, TMDL Phase All All identification of remediation projects I DFPR RCPP Prioritize work with landowners based on contribution of Land erosion erosion features on logging roads(see above LiDAR) to water State foresters, All All quality impairment. Provide technical and financial assistance TMDL Phase I DFPR RCPP Land erosion Cyr Lumber, Provide loggers with access to portable skidder bridges through DFPR, WNRCD, All All a subsidized? rental program DFPR VACD CWIP Enhance forest cover to improve watershed health by Land erosion, promoting the use of Ecologically Sensitive Treatment Areas for Channel erosion All All managed forest in current-use. Phase I TMDL DFPR WETLAND PROTECTION AND RESTORATION Designate wetlands within the basin as Class I: Propose TMDL Phase I, Protection Lower Missisquoi Swanton Missisquoi Delta as Class I DEC DEC pathogens, land Identify potential wetland restoration sites based on Lake erosion, nutrients, DEC, USFWS, USDA –WRE, Entire Basin All Champlain wetland restoration map and additional resources DEC channel erosion TNC RCPP LAKE and SHORELINE: Protection and Restoration Lake Carmi, Fairfield multiple Implement the Lake Wise Program: TMDL Phase I Shoreline DEC LCBP, Watershed Pond, Lake promote the Lake Wise Program and associated Lake Leaders encroachment, land Grants Champlain training sessions to encourage lake-friendly shoreline property erosion maintenance Aquatic invasive Incorporate materials specific to spiny water flea into signs, species Lake Carmi, Fairfield greeter program. Place spiny water flea spread prevention DEC, lake Pond, information at all lake accesses DEC associations DEC, LCBP Lake Carmi, Fairfield Pond, Lake Franklin, Fairfax, AIS grant-in-aid Champlain Highgates Support community's efforts to control Eurasion watermilfoil DEC, lake assn. DEC program DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 96 | Page
Year of Start /End Priority Subbasin Priority Towns Strategies Source Stressor addressed Partners23 Funding
Lake Carmi, Lake Assist development of a cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) DEC, VDH staff Champlain volunteer monitoring program and response plan DEC DEC, VDH, LCC time Other Assist wastewater treatment facilities in meeting TMDL goals to State Revolving Entire Basin All reduce phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain DEC FED Pathogens, nutrients municipalities Fund DEC including LaRosa Partnership Monitor and assess surface waters to gain better Pathogens, land Program, Lay understanding of condition and potential pollution sources, erosion, channel DEC, watershed Monitoring Entire Basin See Table 10 including internal phosphorus loading in lakes DEC erosion groups, Program
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Encroachment (also includes Missisquoi from mouth to Canada and the bay) AIS
Toxics
Flow Alteration
The majority of stressed or impaired waters identified on the map are also impacted by Thermal stressors that release nutrients and sediment, Stress e.g., non-erosion and/or nutrient-related stressors. Please see Table 3 for a complete list of stressors for each stressed, impaired or altered water.
MAP A - Rock and Pike River watersheds
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AIS
Pathogens
AIS
Pathogens
The majority of stressed or impaired waters Acidity identified on the map are also impacted by stressors that release nutrients and sediment, e.g., non-erosion and/or nutrient-related
AIS stressors. Please see Table 3 for a complete list of stressors for each stressed, impaired or altered water.
MAP B - Hungerford, Black and Tyler Watersheds DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 99 | Page
Pathogens
Flow Alteration
Thermal Stress and Encroachment
The majority of stressed or impaired waters identified on the map are also impacted by stressors that release nutrients and sediment, e.g., non-erosion and/or nutrient-related stressors. Please see Table 3 for a complete list of stressors for Toxics each stressed, impaired or altered water. MAP C - Trout, Upper Missisquoi and Mud Creek watersheds DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 100 | Page
List of Acronyms RCP -River Corridor Plan RCPP – NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership 319 -Federal Clean Water Act, Section 319 Program 604(b) -Federal Clean Water Act, Section 604b RMP -River Management Program A(1) – Vermont Class A(1) water RPC -Regional Planning Commission A(2) – Vermont Class A(2) water SGA -Stream Geomorphic Assessment AAP -Accepted Agricultural Practice SRF – State Revolving Fund ANR -Vermont Agency of Natural Resources TBP – Tactical Basin Plan AMP -Acceptable Management Practice TMDL -Total Maximum Daily Load AIS -Aquatic invasive species USDA -United States Department of Agriculture AOP -Aquatic Organism Passage USEPA -United States Environmental Protection BBR -Better Backroads grant Agency BMP -Best Management Practice USFWS -United States Fish and Wildlife Service CWSRF -Clean Water State Revolving Fund UVM -University of Vermont CREP -Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program VAAFM -Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and CWA-Federal Clean Water Act Markets CWI – Clean Water Initiative VTrans -Vermont Agency of Transportation DEC - Vermont Department of Environmental VDH -Vermont Department of Health Conservation VGS Vermont Geological Survey DFPR -Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and VIP -Vermont Invasive Patrollers Recreation VLCT -Vermont League of Cities and Towns DWSRF -Drinking Water State Revolving Fund VLT -Vermont Land Trust ERP – Ecosystem Restoration Program grant EQIP -Environmental Quality Incentive Program EU -Existing Use FEH -Fluvial Erosion Hazard FERC -Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FSA -Farm Service Agency (USDA) FWD Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department GSI- Green Stormwater Infrastructure IDDE – Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination LID -Low Impact Development MAPP -Monitoring, Assessment and Planning Program NPDES -National Pollution Discharge Elimination System NPS -Non-point source pollution NRCD -Natural Resource Conservation District NRCS -Natural Resources Conservation Service ORW -Outstanding Resource Water PDM -Pre-Disaster Mitigation RAP – Required Agricultural Practices DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 101 | Page
References:
AMC. 2002. AMC River Guide – VT and NH (3rd Edition). Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA FB Environmental Association 2011, Vermont statewide TMDL for Bacteria-impaired Waters. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Division, Waterbury, VT. Gerhardt, Fritz, 2015, “Phosphorus Levels in Six Tributaries of Missisquoi Bay” prepared for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Montpelier, VT. International Joint Commission of Canada and the US, 2011. Missisquoi Bay Watershed Phosphorus Load Monitoring Workplan. International Joint Commission, Washington DC, US and Ottawa, Canada http://www.ijc.org/missisquoibayreport/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/International- Missisquoi-Bay-Study-Board.pdf Jenkins J. and P. Zika, 1992. The Whitewater Rivers of Vermont: The Biology, Geography and Recreational Use. Agency of Natural Resources, Waterbury, VT. Jenkins, J. and P. Zika, 1985. The Waterfalls, Cascades, and Gorges of Vermont. VT Agency of Environmental Conservation, Waterbury, VT. Langendoen, E., A. Simon, L. Klimetz, N. Bankhead, and M. Ursic, 2012. Quantifying Sediment Loadings from Streambank Erosion in Selected Agricultural Watersheds Draining to Lake Champlain. Technical Report #72. Lake Champlain Basin Program, Grand Isle, VT. Lake Champlain Basin Program, 2011. Identification of Critical Source Areas of Phosphorus within the Vermont Sector of the Missisquoi Bay Basin. (LCBP Technical Report #63b), Grand Isle, VT. Lake Champlain Basin Program, 2010. Opportunities for Action. Lake Champlain Basin Program, Grand Isle, VT. Tetra Tech. 2015a. Lake Champlain BATHTUB Model Calibration Report. Prepared for: U.S. EPA Region 1 – New England Boston MA. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/lc- bathtub-model-calibration-report.pdf Tetra Tech. 2015b. Lake Champlain Basin SWAT Model Configuration, Calibration and Validation. Prepared for: U.S. EPA Region 1 – New England Boston MA. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 09/documents/swat-model-configuration-calibration-validation.pdf Tetra Tech. 2015c. Lake Champlain BMP Scenario tool requirements and design. Prepared for: U.S. EPA Region 1 – New England. Boston MA. http://www.epa.gov/tmdl/lake-champlain-bmp-scenario-tool-report Troy, A., D. Wang, D. Capen, J. O’Neil-Dunne and S. MacFaden. 2007. Updating the Lake Champlain Basin Land Use Data to Improve Prediction of Phosphorus Loading Lake Champlain Basin Program. Lake Champlain Basin Program, Grand Isle, VT. USDA Natural Resources Conservation District, 2016. Resource Assessment and Watershed Level Plan for Agriculture in the Pike River Watershed. NRCS, Colchester, VT http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/vt/water/watersheds/ USDA Natural Resources Conservation District, 2016. Resource Assessment and Watershed Level Plan for Agriculture in The Rock River Watershed. USDA NRCS, Colchester, VT http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/vt/water/watersheds/
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation District, 2008. The Missisquoi Areawide Plan. USDA NRCS, Colchester, VT http://www.lcbp.org/PDFs/IJC_MBBP/Missisquoi_Areawide_plan.pdf US. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012. National Lakes Assessment. Washington, D.C. http://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/lakessurvey_index.cfm VT AAFM(Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets). (2016, May 13). Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). Retrieved from Vermont.gov: http://agriculture.vermont.gov/water- quality/regulations/rap#Q16 VT AAFM, 2008. http://www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/presentations.html VT Association of Conservation Districts. (2015, May). Regional Conservation Patnership Program. Retrieved from USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Vermont: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/vt/programs/farmbill/rcpp/ VDEC, (2016, March). Vermont Surface Water Assessment and Listing Methodology. Montpelier, Vermont: Agency of Natural Resources. VDEC, (2016). State of Vermont 2016 Stressed Waters List - DRAFT. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016). Vermont Water Quality Standards: Environmental Protection Rule Chapter 29A - DRAFT. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016, May). Part A. Impaired Surface Waters in Need of TMDL. State of Vermont 2016 303(d) List of Impaired Waters - Draft. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016, May). Part B. Impaired Surface Waters - No Total Maximum Daily Load Determination Required. State of Vermont 2016 List of Priority Surface Waters - Draft. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016). Part D. Impaired Surface Waters with Completed and Approved TMDLs. State of Vermont List of Priority Surface Waters - DRAFT. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016). Part E. Suface Waters Altered by Invasive Aquatic Species . State of Vermont 2016 List of Priority Surface Waters - DRAFT. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, (2016). Part F. Surface Waters Altered by Flow Regulation. State of Vermont 2016 List of Priority Surface Waters - DRAFT . Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, 2014. Vermont Water Quality Standards – Environmental Protection Rule 29(a). Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division. VDEC. 2014a. State of Vermont Year 2014 303(d) List of Water. Prepared for USEPA by Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Watershed Management Division. VDEC. 2014b. State of Vermont Year 2014 List of Priority Surface Waters Outside the Scope of Clean Water Act Section 303(d). Prepared for USEPA by Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Watershed Management Division. VDEC. 2013. Gauging the Health of Vermont Lakes: Results of the 2007 National Lake Assessment. Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division. VDEC. 2013. Missisquoi Bay Basin~Basin 6~Water Resources, Water Quality, and Aquatic Habitat Assessment Report. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division.
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VDEC. 2012d. Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division VANR and VAAFM. (2015, August). Vermont Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase 1 Implementation Plan. Montpelier, VT: State of Vermont. VDEC, 2008. Lake Carmi Phosphorus Reduction Plan. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Division, Waterbury, VT. VDFW. 2008. 2008 Vermont Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Trapping. VT Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Waterbury, VT. VDFW. 2008. 2008 Stocking Schedule http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish_stocking.cfm VDFW. 2007. http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/library/reports_and_documents/nongame_and_Natural_Heritage/ Eastern_Spiny_Softshell_Turtle_Recovery_Plan.pdf VT Department of Health. 2016. Blue-Green Algae in Lake Champlain. Available at http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/bg_algae/bgalgae.aspx Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Study Committee, 2013. Wild and Scenic Study Management Plan for the Upper Missisquoi and the Trout Rivers. Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Study Committee, Berkshire, VT http://www.vtwsr.org/MPDocFinal.pdf 2013 Wilson, A. 1992. AMC Quiet Water Canoe Guide. Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston, MA.
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Glossary
10 V.S.A., Chapter 47 - Title 10 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, Chapter 47, Water Pollution Control, which is Vermont’s basic water pollution control legislation.
Acceptable Management Practices (AMP) - methods of silvicultural activity generally approved by regulatory authorities and practitioners as acceptable and common to that type of operation. AMPs may not be the best methods, but are acceptable.
Aquatic biota - all organisms that, as part of their natural life cycle, live in or on waters.
Basin - one of fifteen planning units in Vermont. Some basins include only one major watershed after which it is named such as the Lamoille River Basin. Other Basins include two or major watersheds such as the Poultney/ Mettawee Basin.
Best Management Practices (BMP) - a practice or combination of practices that may be necessary, in addition to any applicable Accepted Agricultural or Silvicultural Practices, to prevent or reduce pollution from nonpoint source pollution to a level consistent with State regulations and statutes. Regulatory authorities and practitioners generally establish these methods as the best manner of operation. BMPs may not be established for all industries or in agency regulations, but are often listed by professional associations and regulatory agencies as the best manner of operation for a particular industry practice.
Classification - a method of designating the waters of the State into categories with more or less stringent standards above a minimum standard as described in the Vermont water quality standards.
Designated use - any value or use, whether presently occurring or not, that is specified in the management objectives for each class of water as set forth in §§ 3-02 (A), 3-03(A), and 3-04(A) of the Vermont water quality standards.
Existing use - a use that has actually occurred on or after November 28, 1975, in or on waters, whether or not the use is included in the standard for classification of the waters, and whether or not the use is presently occurring
Fluvial geomorphology - a science that seeks to explain the physical interrelationships of flowing water and sediment in varying land forms
Impaired water - a water that has documentation and data to show a violation of one or more criteria in the Vermont water quality standards for the water’s class or management type.
Natural condition - the condition representing chemical, physical, and biological characteristics that occur naturally with only minimal effects from human influences.
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Nonpoint source pollution - waste that reaches waters in a diffuse manner from any source other than a point source including, but not limited to, overland runoff from construction sites, or as a result of agricultural or silvicultural activities. pH - a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in water on an inverse logarithmic scale ranging from 0 to 14. A pH under 7 indicates more hydrogen ions and therefore more acidic solutions. A pH greater than 7 indicates a more alkaline solution. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline.
Point source - any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, landfill leachate collection system, vessel or other floating craft from which either a pollutant or waste is or may be discharged.
Required Agricultural Practices (RAP) - land management practices adopted by the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets in accordance with applicable State law.
Reference condition - the range of chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of waters minimally affected by human influences. In the context of an evaluation of biological indices, or where necessary to perform other evaluations of water quality, the reference condition establishes attainable chemical, physical, and biological conditions for specific water body types against which the condition of waters of similar water body type is evaluated.
Riparian vegetation - the native or natural vegetation growing adjacent to lakes, rivers, or streams.
Sedimentation - the sinking of soil, sand, silt, algae, and other particles and their deposition frequently on the bottom of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, or wetlands.
Thermal modification - the change in water temperature
Turbidity - the capacity of materials suspended in water to scatter light usually measured in Jackson Turbidity Units (JTU). Highly turbid waters appear dark and “muddy.”
Waste Management System -a planned system in which all necessary components are installed for managing liquid and solid waste, including runoff from concentrated waste areas and silage leachate, in a manner that does not degrade air, soil, or water resources. The purpose of the system is to manage waste in rural areas in a manner that prevents or minimizes degradation of air, soil, and water resources and protects public health and safety. Such systems are planned to preclude discharge of pollutants to surface or ground water and to recycle waste through soil and plants to the fullest extent practicable.
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Water Quality Standards - the minimum or maximum limits specified for certain water quality parameters at specific locations for the purpose of managing waters to support their designated uses. In Vermont, water quality standards include both Water Classification Orders and the Regulations Governing Water Classification and Control of Quality.
Waters - all rivers, streams, creeks, brooks, reservoirs, ponds, lakes, springs and all bodies of surface waters, artificial or natural, which are contained within, flow through or border upon the State or any portion of it.
Watershed - all the land within which water drains to a common waterbody (river, stream, lake pond or wetland).
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Missisquoi Bay Basin Plan Appendices
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Appendix A – Partners
All of the following organizations and agencies contributed to the development of the Missisquoi Bay Tactical Basin Plan and/or will assist in the plan’s implementation
Group Name Association Description
Regional Planning Commissions (RPC): Northwest Regional Regional Planning Commissions are statutory partners to the basin (NRPC); planning process, and help towns to complete road erosion inventories, Lamoille (LCPC); stream geomorphic assessments, and stormwater master plans in addition Northeastern Vermont Development Association to helping towns update their regulations to protect water quality. As part (NVDA); of the implementation of Act 64 (Sec. 43), DEC has contracted with RPCs to fulfill the specific roles and responsibilities around the development of tactical basin plans that should substantially enhance DEC’s ability to reach municipalities and other relevant stakeholders. Further, the contracted activities are developing augmented capacity in RPCs to support water quality protection and restoration. Natural Resource Conservation Districts (NRCD): NRCDs are statutory partners to the basin planning process, and play a Franklin County (FNRCD); critical role in implementing actions identified in basin plans. They also aid Orleans County (ONRCD). Regional Planning Commissions with stormwater master planning, river corridor assessments, and road erosion assessments. NRCDs also work with the agricultural community to identify and implement farm BMPs to protect water quality. Franklin Watershed Committee Non-profit A community group focused on reducing phosphorus loads into the Pike (http://www.franklinwatershedvt.org/index.php) (Lake Carmi) and Rock River watershed. The group works with farmers, campers, and other watershed land owners to carry out projects that improve the land's natural ability to utilize phosphorus and reduce the effect of erosion on land in the watershed. These projects range from efforts to improve septic systems on lakeshore properties, to cover crop incentive programs, to culvert and ditch repair projects
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Friends of Northern Lake Champlain Local non-profit An Organization dedicated to the rehabilitation and protection of northern (http://www.northernlakechamplain.org/) Lake Champlain and all of the waters that flow into it. The organization works collaboratively with local communities, farmers, government, lake associations, regional planning, and policy developers to reduce polluted land use runoff into Lake Champlain Lake Carmi Campers Association Local non-profit An association dedicated to conserving our unique natural resources, (http://lakecarmi.mylaketown.com/) improving and enhancing the quality of life and the environment, for all Lake Carmi residents and visitors. In cooperation with local and state authorities, the association shall provide educational, cultural and recreational activities, as well as, water quality management and safety education initiatives. Further, the association will provide a medium through which information and educational programs and materials may be distributed throughout the community Lake Champlain Committee Local non-profit a bi-state organization that is solely dedicated to protecting Lake Champlain’s health and accessibility. The committee uses science-based advocacy, education, and collaborative action to protect and restore water quality, safeguard natural habitats and ensure recreational access. The program is also the home organization for the Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail, providing a safe, recreational corridor for human-powered craft on the lake. The Lake Champlain Committee also leads citizen- based efforts to conduct blue-green algal surveillance and reporting for Lake Champlain and adjacent waterbodies. These efforts are coordinated with ANR and the VT Department of Health
Lake Champlain Basin Program (federal?) a congressionally designated initiative to restore and protect Lake Champlain and its surrounding watershed. The program works with partners in New York, Vermont, and Québec to coordinate and fund efforts to address challenges in the areas of phosphorus pollution, toxic substances, biodiversity, aquatic invasive species, and climate change. The LCBP also administers the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, which builds appreciation and improves stewardship of the region’s rich cultural resources by interpreting and promoting its history Lake Champlain International (LCI) Non-profit Actively involved in shaping the future of Lake Champlain's water and fisheries health for the well-being of the people who depend on it today and tomorrow. To protect, restore, and revitalize Lake Champlain and its communities, LCI educates, advocates, and motivates to ensure that Lake DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 110 | Page
Champlain is swimmable, drinkable, and fishable, understanding that healthy water resources are essential for a healthy economy and a healthy community Lake Champlain Sea Grant University develops and supports research, outreach and education programs to empower communities, businesses and other stakeholders in the Lake Champlain Basin to make informed decisions regarding the management, conservation, utilization and restoration of their aquatic resources for long- term environmental health and sustainable economic development
Missisquoi River Basin Association Non-profit Dedicated to the restoration of the Missisquoi River, its tributaries, and the (https://mrbavt.com/about-us/) Missisquoi Bay, bringing together diverse interest groups within the community – teachers, farmers, summer residents, loggers, business owners, environmental experts, outdoor enthusiasts, municipal officers, woodland owners, and concerned citizens. Activities range from education and community outreach to tree planting and fieldwork. We work with landowners on stabilizing stream banks, we cost-share with farmers to implement conservation practices, and we manage a volunteer-led water- sampling program to monitor phosphorus, nitrogen, and turbidity throughout the watershed. Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) Statewide non- The VYCC works on Class IV road projects by assessing and implementing profit BMPs in high risk areas. The role of the VYCC in helping to implement actions in the basin plan continues to evolve as funding and needs change. Better Roads (BR) State BR provides technical assistance, grant funding, and educational workshops related to transportation infrastructure and water quality. BR provides funding for municipalities through the Better Roads Grants. Grant funding can be used to undertake road erosion inventories and capital budgets and to implement transportation infrastructure best management practices (BMPs) that address road erosion and improve water quality and aquatic habitat. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Federal NRCS provides cost-share, technical assistance, and targeted support of (NRCS) agricultural best management practices. Additionally, NRCS provides funding and technical assistance for forestry and wildlife habitat projects. The Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Non-profit The committee was formed after the federal designation of the Upper Scenic Committee (http://www.vtwsr.org/) MIssisquoi and Trout Rivers as a Partnership Wild and Scenic River to develop and implement a management plan. The goal of this Partner approach is to maintain local governance and control of the rivers and their DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 111 | Page
valleys. The Management Plan presents a series of recommendations that can be voluntarily implemented by area residents, riverfront landowners, local municipalities, and partnership state and federal agencies to help protect these river-related resources and maintain the quality and way of life valued by so many people. Watershed Municipalities Nine Vermont towns completely in the watershed: Highgate, Franklin, Berkshire, Richford, Jay, Troy, Sheldon, Enosburgh, and Westfield Fourteen towns partially in the watershed: Newport, Lowell, Coventry, Irasburg, Lowell, Eden, Montgomery, Bakersfield, Fletcher, Cambridge, Fairfax, Fairfield, St. Albans, SwantonMunicipalities can protect water resources through town plan language and zoning bylaws. Additionally, towns are responsible for managing large networks of roads, drainage ditches, and stream crossings. VT Agency of Fish and Wildlife (VFWD); All Departments within ANR (Fish & Wildlife Department, Forest, Parks, and Natural Resources Forests, Parks and Recreation Recreation, and DEC) and Divisions within them, work collaboratively on a (ANR) Internal (VFPR); Environmental number of watershed assessment, restoration and protection projects. Partners Conservation (VDEC) Additionally, FWD and FPR own and manage hundreds of acres of state- owned lands within the basin. Annual stewardship plans are prepared by District Stewardship Teams and includes staff from FWD, FPR, and DEC. Long Range Management Plans of state-owned properties include restoration and protection of water resources. The Vermont Lake Wise Program (LWP) State The Lake Wise Program is offered through the Vermont Lakes and Ponds Section to provide trainings in lake friendly shoreland management to Lake Associations and shoreland property owners. Through Lake Wise, participants receive technical assistance to evaluate specific landscaping practices for fixing erosion and polluted runoff, while improving lake quality and wildlife habitat. Lake Wise participants passing all four categories for driveway; structures and septic systems; recreation areas; and shorefront receive the Lake Wise Award, which can include a beautiful Sign that can be proudly displayed on the property. Lake Associations are also awarded the “Gold Award,” depending on the percentage of shoreland owners participating in Lake Wise. Vermont LakeWise Link
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Northern Forest Canoe Trail Non-profit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a 740-mile inland paddling trail (http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/) tracing historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire, and Maine. The mission is to connect people to the Trail’s natural environment, human heritage, and contemporary communities by stewarding, promoting, and providing access to canoe and kayak experiences along this route. NFCT delivers its mission and strategic goals through 3 program areas: Waterway Stewardship, Community Economic Development, and People and Place.
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Appendix B - Modeling Tools and Assessments for Identifying Remediation and Protection Efforts
Tool Description and Use User Info available in Use/ BMP25 following format SWAT model Model used to estimate phosphorus (P) loading in ANR, NRCS Tables, figures, Prioritize areas of high P loading; the Lake Champlain watershed. Discrete SWAT maps identify potential BMPs at models were calibrated/validated for each HUC8 watershed scale. watershed and direct drainage. P estimates based on land use, soil type, slope, climate, and other variables. Used in development of the TMDL. HUC12 Tool Summary of SWAT P estimates by general land ANR Tables, figures Compare loading estimates use sector. Reported at HUC12 (sub-basin) scale across land use sectors at HUC12 for each lake segment basin. scale. EPA Scenario Used to evaluate scenarios for P reduction in the ANR – Tables, figures, Evaluate impact of various BMP Tool Lake Champlain watershed based on SWAT (LC P maps implementation scenarios. estimates of P loading and BMP efficiencies. TMDL26) Identifies potential load reductions based on the type and coverage of specified BMPs. Clean Water A partnership between VT DEC, Keurig-Green by regional A map-based The CWR will provide a Roadmap Mountain Coffee Roasters, the Nature planners, the application that description of one way the Lake Tool (in Conservancy (TNC), and other stakeholders. The public, and allows users to Champlain TMDL phosphorus development) overall goal is to ‘map’ the results of the Lake DEC staff click on a reductions can be achieved, Champlain SWAT model and associated follow- specified largely based on EPA’s on products, especially EPA’s BMP Scenario Tool, watershed and reasonable assurance scenario. along with management actions contained in receive a DEC’s Tactical Basin Plan implementation tables summary report and tracking systems. The CWR can be used to of relevant best identify priority areas and actions for Lake management Champlain phosphorus reductions. practices (BMPs)
25 Best Management Practice 26 Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 114 | Page
ANR tracking Tracks project implementation: calculates P ANR Report Track implemented BMP Tool loading reductions for implemented BMPs. Can (LC P TMDL) reductions relative to TMDL provide P reduction estimates for BMPs not goals. included in SWAT. Prioritizing Process that uses SWAT and associated tools to case Maps Identify priority areas and agricultural develop a list of priority P loading sectors at managers; potential BMP implementation. fields for NHD+ catchment (sub-HUC12) scale. Identify NRCS, BMP potential BMPs and/or other management NRCD; UVM actions. extension Prioritizing Combines NRCS estimates of buffer gaps with NRCS, NRCS has Riparian stream and watershed characterstics to prioritize Partners that developed for Identify areas for riparian Buffer riparian planting efforts. plant trees, Rock and Pike plantings Enhancement River. Develop for other priority basins based on partner interest and data availability Field gully Model framework that uses high-resolution AAFM, case Maps Develop for priority areas. identification elevation data to predict gully locations. managers, Dependent on availability of Predicted gullies can be checked against aerial NRCS LiDAR. imagery and/or land use data to identify locations in agricultural lands. Under RAPs/AAPs, farmers are responsible for addressing field gullies. Restorations of edge of field gullies may also be eligible for funding. Floodplain Projects are identified using stream geomorphic ANR Develop for Flood plain restoration; two- restoration assessment data as well as site visits to confirm priority areas tiered ditch conditions. Priority sites include high incision rate where hydrology in stream channel, but small watersheds to limit significantly amount of land needed to restore flood plain, altered by ditching/tile
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which would be more amendable to agricultural drains; landowners. dependent on landowner interest
Wetland In 2007, Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) ANR, NRCS, Maps Wetland restoration restoration released the Lake Champlain Wetland Restoration USFWS Plan, which identified opportunities to restore wetlands and the benefits they provide. The plan identified approximately 16,000 acres of potential wetland restoration sites in the Missisquoi Watershed based on their ability to reduce phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain. These sites are now being targeted by the NRCS Wetland Reserve Program. In 2016, DEC will create site profiles for high ranking wetland restoration sites in the Missisquoi. In addition, The Nature Conservancy will also provide resources for ecological restoration, including wetlands.
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Road Erosion A data layer on the ANR atlas which identifies ANR, Data layer on Road BMPs include: grass and Risk Layer road segments by erosion risk to surface waters as municipalitie ANR Atlas; list stone-lined drainage ditches, the well as potential hydrologic connectivity. Road s, Vtrans of priority road installation of properly sized projects may be further prioritized by finding segments drainage culverts, culvert header documented points of stormwater input to rivers and outlet stabilization, road using Stream Geomorphic Assessments. High crowning, regular catch basin priority road remediation sites will likely include clean outs and street sweeping, hydrologically connected segments on steep and addressing erosion from slopes, where significant road-related erosion is municipal sand piles. The present, and/or where road BMPs are currently Interim Guidance for completing lacking or insufficient. municipal road erosion inventories and capital budgets 2016-2018 (June 2, 2016, DEC Municipal Roads Program) outlines the steps for developing the list of priority road segments for remediation. Culvert Prioritization of muncipal culvert replacement Municipalitie List of culverts VTrans culvert database will be replacement using VTrans culvert database. Criteria include s with help by town; provided to towns as a planning and structural integrity, conformance with from RPC prioritization resource. prioritization geomorphology, and aquatic organism passage. based on aquatic The NRPC and NVDA both assist towns with organism prioritizing as well as financial budgeting through passage use of a capital budget. The VTrans culvert database will be provided to towns as a resource (see Appendix C)
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Appendix C - Assessed Missisquoi Bay Watershed Culverts mostly to completely incompatible with stream geomorphology
Table 12. From VANR culvert assessments: Completely Incompatible with Geomorphology of named Stream in Basin 6 ton Bay Watersheds : 0-5 Completely and 5-10 mostly. Aquatic Organism passage for these streams are rate impassable. (VANR stream database 2013)
Town River Road Geomorphic Latitude Longitude Compatability Score BAKERSFIELD JORDAN RD 9 44.73739 -72.82632 BAKERSFIELD Branch, The PUDVAH HILL RD 9 44.82477 -72.8043 BAKERSFIELD ROUTE 108 S 9 44.76822 -72.81278 BAKERSFIELD BASSWOOD HILL RD 10 44.78044 -72.77363 BAKERSFIELD BUTTERNUT HOLLOW RD 10 44.83506 -72.75319 BAKERSFIELD EGYPT RD 10 44.79796 -72.8186 BAKERSFIELD EGYPT RD 10 44.80122 -72.81986 BERKSHIRE AYERS HILL RD 4 45.00957 -72.74301 BERKSHIRE LOST NATION RD 6 45.00533 -72.72881 BERKSHIRE ROUTE 105 E BERKSHIRE 7 44.9684 -72.68933 BERKSHIRE BERRY RD 7 45.01124 -72.7173 BERKSHIRE NORTH RD 8 45.00217 -72.77293 BERKSHIRE MARVIN RD 9 44.98728 -72.69484 BERKSHIRE MARVIN RD 10 44.98539 -72.69555 BERKSHIRE RICHFORD RD 10 44.9819 -72.72237 BERKSHIRE ROUTE 105 E BERKSHIRE 10 44.96252 -72.69225 CAMBRIDGE POND RD 8 44.69945 -72.85854 CAMBRIDGE KINSLEY RD 9 44.69709 -72.85656 CAMBRIDGE ROUTE 108 N 9 44.69228 -72.82711 ENOSBURGH BUTTERNUT HOLLOW RD 8 44.8426 -72.75491 ENOSBURGH DAVIS RD 8 44.90781 -72.77602 ENOSBURGH Missisquoi River SAMPSONVILLE RD 9 44.92115 -72.74254 ENOSBURGH ENOSBURGH MOUNTAIN 9 44.84465 -72.67825 RD Enosburgh Unnamed trib of BOSTON POST RD 10 44.86587 -72.75716 Tyler Branch ENOSBURGH HOPKINS BRIDGE RD 10 44.92078 -72.67242 ENOSBURGH Missisquoi River SAMPSONVILLE RD 10 44.92131 -72.74252 FAIRFIELD CHESTER A ARTHUR RD 9 44.83621 -72.88047 FAIRFIELD PARADEE RD 10 44.84948 -72.92531 FAIRFIELD CHESTER A ARTHUR RD 10 44.83657 -72.86716 FAIRFIELD CHESTER A ARTHUR RD 10 44.83636 -72.86531 DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 118 | Page
Fairfield unnamed (dead SWAMP RD 10 44.78787 -73.01301 creek) Fairfield unnamed (Black JOHNNY BULL HILL 10 44.80521 -72.91122 Creek) FAIRFIELD BUCK HOLLOW RD 10 44.75987 -72.96986 FAIRFIELD WEST ST 10 44.76099 -73.00471 FAIRFIELD ROUTE 36 10 44.78802 -73.01314 Fletcher unnamed FAIRFIELD RD 7 44.75049 -72.95629 (Fairfield River) FLETCHER POND RD 10 44.72098 -72.88059 FLETCHER TAYLOR RD 10 44.73633 -72.88393 FRANKLIN STATE PARK RD 6 44.96554 -72.85582 FRANKLIN STATE PARK RD 6 44.9602 -72.8585 FRANKLIN Marsh Brook STATE PARK RD 7 44.95419 -72.862 FRANKLIN SANDY BAY RD 8 44.97755 -72.88499 FRANKLIN STATE PARK RD 8 44.97954 -72.84411 FRANKLIN STATE PARK RD 9 44.96791 -72.85459 Franklin Rock River TH 37 10 44.97348 -72.93066 FRANKLIN STATE PARK RD 10 44.9418 -72.86234 HIGHGATE BALLARD RD 4 44.9977 -73.06182 HIGHGATE Kelly Brook CAMPAGNA RD 7 44.95335 -73.07233 HIGHGATE ROLLO RD 7 44.98447 -73.05483 HIGHGATE CARTER HILL RD 7 44.94644 -73.07465 HIGHGATE Kelly Brook CARTER HILL RD 8 44.94804 -73.07697 HIGHGATE Youngman Brook CARTER HILL RD 9 44.94866 -73.08445 HIGHGATE RHEAUME RD 9 45.00613 -73.07706 HIGHGATE ROLLO RD 9 45.00706 -73.03951 HIGHGATE ROUTE 7 9 44.93496 -73.11871 HIGHGATE MOREY RD 10 44.92071 -73.01634 HIGHGATE ROLLO RD 10 44.99453 -73.03083 JAY Mountain Brook JOURNEYS END RD 4 44.99887 -72.44938 JAY N JAY RD 7 44.98043 -72.44933 JAY SHALLOWBROOK RD 7 44.93228 -72.47769 JAY ROUTE 105 7 44.96564 -72.43479 JAY Crook Brook ROUTE 105 9 44.97287 -72.45607 JAY PARTRIDGE HOLLOW RD 9 44.9791 -72.44646 JAY ROUTE 242 9 44.92742 -72.50169 JAY ROUTE 242 9 44.93565 -72.49072 JAY ROUTE 105 10 44.97115 -72.52235 JAY ROUTE 242 10 44.9287 -72.50143 JAY SHALLOWBROOK RD 10 44.93291 -72.47684 JAY STEVENS MILL RD 10 44.96413 -72.46953 JAY Crook Brook CROSS RD 10 44.96573 -72.44762 LOWELL MINES RD 3 44.77261 -72.51894 LOWELL ROUTE 100 5 44.76478 -72.45711 DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 119 | Page
LOWELL CARTER RD 7 44.80898 -72.4397 Lowell Unnamed-2 to ROUTE 100 9 44.75661 -72.4562 Missisquoi-R47 LOWELL VALLEY RD 9 44.80096 -72.4673 LOWELL IRISH HILL RD 9 44.79177 -72.40588 LOWELL Le Clair Brook CARTER RD 9 44.82195 -72.41386 Lowell Unnamed-3 to Private Road #2 10 44.77796 -72.45094 Missisquoi-R45 LOWELL MINES RD 10 44.77895 -72.51786 LOWELL PAGE RD 10 44.76644 -72.46947 Montgomery South Branch ROUTE 118 4 44.82291 -72.61021 Trout River, Unnamed trib to MONTGOMERY S MAIN ST 5 44.8241 -72.60986 Montgomery South Branch ROUTE 118 6 44.83809 -72.609 Trout River, Unnamed trib to MONTGOMERY Trout AMIDON RD 7 44.87807 -72.5631 MONTGOMERY Trout MOUNTAIN RD 8 44.88411 -72.54171 Montgomery Wade Brook ROUTE 58 8 44.85187 -72.5498 MONTGOMERY Trout S MAIN ST 8 44.86568 -72.61028 MONTGOMERY W HILL RD 8 44.83711 -72.65311 Montgomery Wade Brook ROUTE 58 9 44.86551 -72.57118 MONTGOMERY RUSHFORD VALLEY RD 9 44.83328 -72.59511 MONTGOMERY S MAIN ST 9 44.84613 -72.61041 MONTGOMERY S MAIN ST 9 44.82087 -72.61183 MONTGOMERY HILL WEST RD 9 44.85602 -72.64904 MONTGOMERY N HILL RD 9 44.90914 -72.59238 MONTGOMERY BLACK FALLS RD 9 44.92029 -72.59005 MONTGOMERY Trout S MAIN ST 10 44.8671 -72.61028 NEWPORT TOWN ROUTE 105 6 44.93697 -72.29269 NEWPORT TOWN BONIN RD 7 44.87145 -72.34341 NEWPORT Dunn Brook NILES RD 8 44.92196 -72.3033 TOWN NEWPORT Dunn Brook POGINY HILL RD 9 44.90685 -72.30904 TOWN NEWPORT TOWN NUMBER 12 RD 9 44.95195 -72.33336 NEWPORT TOWN BONIN RD 10 44.86891 -72.34631 NEWPORT TOWN LEADVILLE RD 10 44.98639 -72.26791 RICHFORD CORLISS RD 6 45.0012 -72.64033 RICHFORD S RICHFORD RD 7 44.93556 -72.64545 RICHFORD GUILMETTE RD 8 44.96028 -72.66872 RICHFORD CORLISS RD 8 45.00219 -72.60604 RICHFORD GLENN SUTTON RD 9 44.99747 -72.61016 RICHFORD S RICHFORD RD 10 44.92858 -72.64738 RICHFORD S RICHFORD RD 10 44.92483 -72.64782 DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 120 | Page
RICHFORD S RICHFORD RD 10 44.92253 -72.6477 RICHFORD Loveland Brook ST ALBANS RD 10 44.98238 -72.68453 SHELDON ST PIERRE RD 6 44.86295 -72.84024 SHELDON RICE HILL RD 9 44.92191 -72.95179 SHELDON CENTRAL ST 9 44.87521 -72.93494 SHELDON E SHELDON RD 10 44.89193 -72.92889 SHELDON SWEET HOLLOW RD 10 44.89562 -72.98879 SHELDON SWEET HOLLOW RD 10 44.89556 -72.98848 SHELDON SHAWVILLE RD 10 44.91615 -72.96585 SHELDON ROUTE 105 10 44.90257 -72.99484 ST. ALBANS TOWN FISHER POND RD 10 44.81743 -73.05959 SWANTON WOODS HILL RD 6 44.89663 -73.08549 SWANTON RUSSELL RD 9 44.88297 -73.03333 SWANTON POND RD 9 44.85659 -73.02969 SWANTON POND RD 10 44.85735 -73.01395 Town Stream Name Other Road Name Geomorphic Latitude Longitude Compatability Score TROY Jay Branch ROUTE 101 6 44.96279 -72.41405 TROY ROUTE 105 E 7 44.98648 -72.36311 Troy Tributary to Jay VIELLEUX RD 9 44.9605 -72.4028 Branch TROY Missisquoi River RIVER RD 10 44.97718 -72.38678 Troy Jay Branch ROUTE 101 10 44.96282 -72.41368 TROY ROUTE 243 10 45.00272 -72.41326 Westfield Jay Brook, ROUTE 242 6 44.90015 -72.51726 Unnamed trib to Westfield Jay Brook, ROUTE 242 8 44.89236 -72.52682 Unnamed trib to WESTFIELD Trout ROUTE 242 8 44.89723 -72.51965 WESTFIELD BALANCE ROCK RD 9 44.86573 -72.45143 WESTFIELD ROUTE 58 10 44.84021 -72.51741 WESTFIELD Trout BIRCH RD 10 44.8938 -72.52761 WESTFIELD Trout PARK DR 10 44.89271 -72.5307
Culvert replacement incurs a substantial cost for a town or the state, yet the replacement with suitable sizes helps with supporting the stream geomorphic stability and fish passage to additional habitat (the aquatic organism passage). The additional functions that the culvert provides can be useful in finding grants that are based on improving the health of the river or fisheries. The chart can be used by towns to help prioritize culvert replacements, suitable replacement size as well as appropriate funding sources. The RPC transportation planner often works with the towns and may be able to use the chart during their
DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 121 | Page discussions. See the Stream Geomorphic Assessment Data Management System for additional culvert and bridge informational that may be helpful.
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Appendix D –Status of flood resilience and water quality protection at municipal level Jay Troy Westfield Lowell T. Newport
Program Status
Montgomery Enosburgh
Richford (T/V) Berkshire (T/V) Bakersfield Fletcher Fairfax Fairfield Sheldon Franklin Highgate Swanton (T/V) St. Albans Town National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Enrolled? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Road and Bridge Y (Town) and Y (Town & Standards Adopted? Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N(Village) Y Y Y Y Y N Y Village) Y Emergency Operations N (Town & N (Town & Plan (LEOP) Completed? Y Y N Y N Y N Y Village) N N Y Y N Y Y Village) Y Hazard N Mitigation IN Y (Town) and N (Town & Plan (LHMP) Adopted? N N N PROCESS N N N N N(Village) N N Y Y N N Y Village) Y River Corridor N (Town & N (Town & Protection Adopted? N N N N N N Y N Village) Y N N N N N N Village) N ERAF Percent 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 12.5 12.5 7.5 7.5 12.5 7.5 12.5 Adopted? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y/Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Village: Bylaws are currently Town being updating Flood revised; bylaws, Hazard By- Town and current law Village proposal is to bylaws increase Town and separate - protection to Single bylaw for Village since both have 1 foot above both the village Comment bylaw adopted BFE and town Flood Resiliency in
Town Plan Starting Completed? Y N N Y Y N Y Y Y Y N N Y adoption N Y Y N
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Jay Troy Westfield Lowell T. Newport
Program Status
Montgomery Enosburgh
Richford (T/V) Berkshire (T/V) Bakersfield Fletcher Fairfax Fairfield Sheldon Franklin Highgate Swanton (T/V) St. Albans Town Flood Unified Resiliency in Town Plan municipal Town Plan adopted in plan cont. 2015 and between the includes a Town & section on Village. In promoting the Town A whole flood hazard Plan, Ch.9 is Sheldon resiliency resilient titled Bakersfield Town Plan is section is measures, Planning for Town Plan A flood currently Town Plan avaialble The 2015 update Town Plan Town Plan which focuses Hazard adopted in Town Plan Town Plan resiliency being revised expires in under the to the town plan expires in Adopted in on the Flood Resiliency, 2015 contains expires in expires in section is with the help 2017 and the "Hazards" (for the Town of Town Plan up for 2018, RPC 2016 and Hazard Bylaw which a flood 2018, RPC will 2018, RPC included in of NRPC and RPC plans to section of the Swanton and renewal in 2018 will plan to Ch.15 is the & includes includes a resiliency plan to assist will plan to the Town Plan will contain a assist the town plan, village) and the RPC will assist town flood strategies to flood section in town with assist town that was flood town with which was incorporates a plan to assist with this resiliency reduce flood resiliency Ch.8 Natural this with this adopted in resiliency this adopted in flood resiliency town with this Comment requirement section damage section Resources requirement requirement 2015 section requirement 2015 section requirement V-In Process, Completed? N N N N N In Process N N T-N N N N In Process N N In Process In Process N Year 2016 V-2016 2016 2016 2016 Comment NRPC Town applied Village has a NRPC NRPC NRPC conducting conducting a for a Better Better Roads conducting a conducting a a Category A Category A Roads grant grant for Cat Category A Category A Better Roads Better Roads in current A inventory. Better Roads Better Roads grant for town. grant for round. grant for grant for town. Town town. town. Road Erosion applied for a Currently in Currently in Inventory Better Roads the process, the process, grant in should have a should have a current majority of majority of round. the the hydrologically hydrologically connected connected roads roads inventoried by inventoried by the end of the end of Summer 2016 Summer 2016 Completed? N N N Y N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Stormwater SMP was Created on Created on Created on Created on Master Plan created for January 23, January 24, March 11, Created on February 21, Created on Comment both the 2014 2014 2015 March 1, 2013 2013 March 25, 2015 DRAFT MISSISQUOI BAY TACTICAL BASIN PLAN 124 | Page
Jay Troy Westfield Lowell T. Newport
Program Status
Montgomery Enosburgh
Richford (T/V) Berkshire (T/V) Bakersfield Fletcher Fairfax Fairfield Sheldon Franklin Highgate Swanton (T/V) St. Albans Town Town & for the Town for the Town of Village. It & Village St. Albans was created on March 1, 2013 Completed? N Y IDDE Year 2014 Comment Stormwater Completed? N Y Mapping Comment
River/Stream N N Y N N N Y Y T-Y, V-N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N As a part of the River Corridor Overlay referring to <2 sq mi Seasonal and watersheds intermittent "For these streams small streams Bylaws state require a 25 the standards Village: that a stream foot buffer. All rivers and in Section 8.5 Bylaws are setback is Unnamed streams (Class 1 Municipal shall apply to currently required from rivers and & 2) are required By-law for the area being all streams as streams to have a 50 foot Water measured as revised mapped in 50 foot require a 50 buffer. The Resource fifty (50) feet Bylaws Town: States the Vermont Town is vegetated foot buffer. Missisquoi River Setback from the top adopted in series of Hydrography updating buffer; 50 All structures Missisquoi requires a 100 of the stream 2012 states a buffers Dataset bylaws; foot setback should be The minimum The setback and Rock foot buffer and bank or 100 ft setback based on surface proposing from all setback at setback for for a stream is River require the Hungerford slope" (pg. for size of waters stream buffer named least 25 feet streams is 50 a minimum of a 100 foot Brook requires a Comment 50' 57) river/streams stream 1:5,000 standards streams from a stream feet 50 feet buffer 75 foot buffer Wetland N N Y N N N N Y T-Y, V-N Y N N N N N N Y N Development is restricted Town: 200 meters Bylaws have from the All wetlands a wetlands highwater (Class 1 & 2) are 100 ft setback overlay line of a required to have Comment 50' for wetlands district wetland a 50 foot buffer
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Jay Troy Westfield Lowell T. Newport
Program Status
Montgomery Enosburgh
Richford (T/V) Berkshire (T/V) Bakersfield Fletcher Fairfax Fairfield Sheldon Franklin Highgate Swanton (T/V) St. Albans Town Lake/Pond N N Y N N N N Y T-Y, V-N N Y N Y N Y Y Y Y Shoreland Shoreland- Recreation Recreation District - all District - all lands within lands within 500 feet of 500 feet of the shoreline the shorline All structures of Lake Carmi, of Metcalf should be Mill Pond, and Halfmoon setback at and Bullis Ponds. least 25 feet Pond. Development from a pond. Development in this district For a lake, in this district can be there is a high can be subject to a water mark subject to a 40 foot setback of at 50 foot setback from least 150 feet, setback from Town: shoreline as side/rear shoreline as Bylaws have an setback of 20 an a 50 foot undistrubed feet, and undistrubed 100 foot 100 foot setback 100 ft setback setback on or managed frontage or managed buffer Lakes & ponds required from for lakes and lakes and vegetative setback of 200 vegetative required for require a 50 foot highwater mark Comment 50' ponds ponds buffer. feet buffer. lakes & ponds buffer for lakes
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Appendix E – USDA NRCS/Vermont State Funding Summary - January, 2015
Summary of agricultural resources available to Basin 6 since January 2015
Additional staff and funds will be available to assist landowners with implementing BMPs, including:
• Landowner assistance with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program enrollment
• Cost-share soil and water conservation programs within CSAs (UVM Extension, ERP funds)
• Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCCP) funds focused on challenged watersheds identified by EPA, NRCS, ANR and other partners. Challenged watersheds in Basin 6 include: the Pike and Rock Rivers
• Additional RCPP funds received by the VT Association of Conservation Districts will provide funding to develop nutrient management plans on small farms in watersheds including Basin 6.
• North Lake Farm Survey initiative-related projects will be developed and implemented with partners including Farmer’s Watershed Alliance, Friends of Northern Lake Champlain and the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts.
• Agricultural engineering firms have been placed on retained with the Agency of Agriculture in order to design and implement structural on farm BMPs.
• Additional AAFM and NRCS engineers to help farmers design projects and oversee the private sector engineering work.
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Lake Champlain Funding Lake Champlain Initiative RCPP National – Lake Champlain – Ag, Forestry, Conservation RCPP State – Nutrient Management Sources Priority Initiative of Sec. Vilsack Easements and Wetlands Restoration Planning Lead Project Partner Funded through NRCS Programs using typical process in Vermont Agency of Agriculture and Agency of Natural Resources Vermont Association of Conservation consultation with State Technical Committee Districts Total Funds Available $45 Million over five years -Almost all FA directly to farmers $16 Million (FA and TA) -Note: 10% of EQIP funds will be $710,980 - 800,000 (FA and TA) targeted to New York Time Frame FY 2015 – 2019 FY 2015 - 2019 FY 2015 - 2018 Programs EQIP only – ~$8M/year solely for Lake Champlain Basin EQIP – 1.8M/year (FA) EQIP – about $175,000/yr ACEP-ALE – 750,000 - $1M/year (FA) ACEP- WRE – 230,000/year Primary Practices All water quality practices including waste management, Cropland – All Agronomic Practices, with limited focus on Collection of Data Needed to Develop infrastructure, field agronomic practices, forestry, and wetlands Farmsteads; Feed Management; Forestry – Forest Trails and Land Treatment and Nutrient Landings, Stream Crossings, Skidder Bridges Management Plans Restrictions Funds cannot be used for admin or outreach Requires substantial match including: VHCB – $840,000/year DEC - $389,500/year (staff, lab, wetlands contractor) AAFM - $1,998,294/year (staff, FAP, BMP $)
Priority Locations FY 2015 – basin wide, but with priorities for Missisquoi, St. Small Farms in the Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, and South Lake Champlain, with an option to Albans Bay, and South Lake Lake watersheds (both VT and NY); Critical Source Areas will expand beyond the watershed FY 2016 – basin wide, but will prioritize Rock River, Lake prioritized in those three priority basins Small farm nutrient management Carmi/Pike River, St. Albans Bay, and Mackenzie Brook.Future Feed Management, forestry and wetlands restoration – basin planning in coordination with UVM will coordinate with DEC Tactical Basin Planning process wide, Extension NMP development class. Land Conservation - Lake Champlain basin Estimated Number of On average – 300 participants/year in the Lake Champlain Total Estimated Small Farms - 40 per year for a total of Participants watershed Small Farms – 120-140 160 NOTE - RCPP Numbers Forestry – 100 Subject to Change due to Wetland Restoration – 20-30 reduced funding Conservation Easements - 35 Priority Resource Concern Water Quality Water Quality, Land Conservation Water Quality
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Program Total Commitment Annual Allocation directly to farmers NRCS $45,000,000 $8-9,000,000 RCPP – State of Vermont – EQIP $7,170,000 $1,792,500 RCPP – State of Vermont – ACEP-ALE $3,890,000 $970,000 first year, $730,000 following years RCPP – State of Vermont – ACEP-WRE $924,000 $230,000 RCPP – VACD – Nutrient Management Plans $800,000 Approx. $175,000 VT Agency of Agriculture – BMP funds $1,400,000 VT Agency of Agriculture – FAP/NMP funds $569,544
Total ~$14M/year average
Acronyms RCPP – Regional Conservation Partnership Program NRCS – Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Field practices, barnyard improvement, waste management ACEP-ALE – Agricultural Conservation Easement Program/Ag land easement ACEP – WRE – Wetlands Restoration Easements FA – financial assistance – payments directly to farmers for projects TA – technical assistance – people to help design, implement projects for farmers VACD – VT Association of Conservation District BMP – Best management practices FAP – Farm Agronomic Practices
NMP – Nutrient Management Plans
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Appendix F - Regulatory and Non-Regulatory Programs Applicable to Protecting and Restoring Waters in the Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainages
The Vermont Surface Water Management Strategy maintains a roster of regulatory and non- regulatory technical assistance programs.
Regulatory programs may be accessed at: http://www.vtwaterquality.org/wqd_mgtplan/swms_appA.htm
Non-regulatory programs may be accessed at: http://www.vtwaterquality.org/wqd_mgtplan/swms_appD.htm
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Appendix G – Existing Use Tables
During the Basin 6 planning process, the Agency collected sufficient information to document and determine the presence of existing uses for swimming (contact recreation, fishing and boating on flowing waters. All surface waters used as public drinking water sources were also identified. The Agency presumes that all lakes and ponds in the basin have existing uses of fishing, contact recreation and boating. This simplified assumption is being used because of the well-known and extensive use of these types of waters for these activities based upon their intrinsic qualities and, to avoid the production and presentation of exhaustive lists of all of these waterbodies across Basin 6. Likewise, the Agency recognizes that fishing activities in streams and rivers are widespread throughout the state and can be too numerous to document. Also recognized is that streams too small to support significant angling activity provide spawning and nursery areas, which contribute to fish stocks downstream where larger streams and rivers support a higher level of fishing activity. As such, these small tributaries are considered supporting the use of fishing and are protected at a level commensurate with downstream areas. This presumption may be rebutted on a case-by-case basis during the Agency’s consideration of a permit application, which might be deemed to affect these types of uses.
The following lists are not intended to represent an exhaustive list of all existing uses, but merely an identification of well-known existing uses. Additional existing uses of contact recreation, boating and fishing on/in flowing waters may be identified during the Agency’s consideration of a permit application or in the future during subsequent basin planning efforts.
Table 13 Determination of existing uses in Basin 6.
Info Source/
Area or Reach Waterbody Town Use Comments
Big Falls Missisquoi River Troy Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Highgate Falls Dam Missisquoi River Highgate Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Troy Four Corners Jay Branch Troy Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Hectorville Bridges Trout River Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
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Hutchins Covered Bridge Trout River Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Montgomery School House Trout River Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Longley Covered Bridge Trout River Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Kidder's Tyler Branch Enosburgh Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Creamery Covered Bridge West Hill Brook Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Hippy Hole West Hill Brook Montgomery Contact Recreation (1) (2)
Jay Branch Jay Brook Montgomery Recreational Boating (11)
Trout River Trout River Montgomery Recreational Boating (11)
East Richford to Richford/Enosburgh Enosburg Falls Missisquoi River h Recreational Boating (3) (4) (5)
Sheldon Springs Missisquoi River Sheldon Recreational Boating (11)
Enosburg Falls Enosburgh/Sheldon/ to Highgate Falls Missisquoi River Highgate Recreational Boating (3) (4)
Highgate Falls to Lake Champlain Missisquoi River Highgate/Swanton Recreational Boating (3) (4) (5) (6)
Upper Missisquoi River Missisquoi River Troy Fishing (3)
Swanton to Lake Champlain Missisquoi River Swanton Fishing (3)
Tyler Branch Tyler Branch Enosburgh Fishing (3)
Riverside Cemetery (Swanton) to below Swanton (7) Special Dam Missisquoi River Highgate/Swanton Fishing Regulations
Swanton Dam downstream to water treatment (7) Special plant Missisquoi River Highgate/Swanton Fishing Regulations
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Swanton Dam to Highgate Falls (7) Special Dam Missisquoi River Swanton/Highgate Fishing Regulations
Missisquoi River Highgate Falls
Dam to top of the Sheldon Springs Dam in (7) Special Sheldon Springs Highgate/Swanton Fishing Regulations
Kane Road (TH- 3) bridge to Enosburg Falls (7) Special Dam Missisquoi River Sheldon/Enosburgh Fishing Regulations
Burgess Branch Burgess Branch Lowell Fishing (8) Stocked
Hazen Notch Hazen Notch (8) Stocked Brook Brook Lowell Fishing
Jay Branch Jay Branch Jay Fishing (8) Stocked
Mississquoi (8) Stocked River-East Branch Missisquoi River Lowell Fishing
Sheldon Rapids (8) Stocked between Sheldon Jct and N. Sheldon Missisquoi River Sheldon Fishing
Upper (8) Stocked Missisquoi River Missisquoi River Troy/Westfield Fishing
Bridge on TH-3 (8) Stocked (Kane Rd) upstream to confluence with Tyler Branch Missisquoi River Enosburgh Fishing
Confluence w/ (8) Stocked Tyler Branch upstream to top of the dam in Enosburg Falls Missisquoi River Enosburgh Fishing
The Branch Enosburgh Fishing (8) Stocked
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Berkshire/Montgom (8) Stocked Trout River ery Fishing
Tyler Branch Enosburgh Fishing (8) Stocked
Stanhope Brook Richford Public Water Source (9)(10) Class A2
Loveland Brook Richford Public Water Source (9)(10)
Old Spring/Upper Reservoir Troy Public Water Source (9)
Fairfield Pond Swanton Public Water Source (9)
Mountain Brook and tributary North Troy Public Water Source (10) Class A2
Coburn Brook Reservoir and Tributaries North Troy Public Water Source (10) Class A2
Unnamed tributary to Trout River East Berkshire Public Water Source (10) Class A2
Hannah Clark Brook Montgomery Ctr. Public Water Source (10) Class A2
Trout Brook and Enosburgh Reservoir Enosburg Falls Public Water Source (10) Class A2
Black Falls Brook Montgomery Ctr. Public Water Source (10) Class A2
(1) VDEC, 2004 (2) Jenkins and Zika, 1985 (3) DeLorme, 1996 (4) AMC, 2002 (5) Jenkins and Zika, 1992 (6) AMC, 1992 (7) VDFW, 2008 (8) VDFW Website (9) VDEC pers. Com (10) VTWRP, 2008, (11) Vermont Paddlers Club
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